Red Alert 3: Renegade
by Chrispumah
Summary: After the event of the War of the Three Powers, things are crazy. Europe is in chaos, The Soviet Union is a free for all, and Japan is under a constant attack. Who will survive in the end? Like Tanya always says: Shake it baby!
1. Prolouge

**Author's Note: In my universe, Tanya Adam's the brunette Kari Wuhrer version, opposing the blonde script reading Jenny McCarthy version that was featured in Red Alert 3 and the "still amazing but shouldn't of dyed her hair" Kari Wuhrer Yuri's Revenge Version. Also if you're unfamiliar with the Red Alert universe then go to Red Alert Wikia or Wikipedia for insight. On a side fact the year that the game takes place in is not at all mentioned anywhere so I will be having it happen in the most plausible time, the late 70's. And I will be creating units, so I know what I'm doing here. I've played all of the red alert games except the IPhone and Uprising. But I know what happens in Uprising and the new units.**

The war of the three powers was the third major war since WW2. Where the Nazis surrendered to the Allies, along with Hitler's suicide, the Japan's took over most of the pacific until they entered a stalemate before American soil. Thanks to the valiant American defenders in the west coast beaches, the shores of Alaska, Canada, and even Mexico; the United States only lost Hawaii in the cease fire of 1949. Also Germany is split between the Allies and the defected Soviet Union.

Peace seemed to be forever until Japan spread the way of Bushido in Eastern China and Russia spread Communism across the North. The Chinese Civil War in 1953 ended in Japan's favor after only a shockingly painful six months had passes and over 20 million civilian casualties; Vastly exceeding the number of military deaths which were under a million. Raids of opposing civilian cities from both soviet and Japanese forces made it clear to the world that if they weren't going to have China, then no one would. Japan then annexed Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos in a matter of months. All fell to the unstoppable army ruled by Emperor Yoshiro. To the Asian populace, it was WW2 all over again.

At home, The newly titled Empire of the Rising Sun worked into nano technology and robotics like no other major power. Their top engineers and scientists created amazing works of science that dazzled Allied and Soviet geniuses alike. The ERS put all of their technological effort straight into their Military after the invention of the laser in 1960 by Allied Scientist. In a top secret Shinobi mission led by the head of the Shinobi regiment, Master Sensei Torhu Mitsuyoshi, the operatives steal the laser research to have Japanese scientists prefect the laser technology. Along with there nano technology, their army would be outfitted with powerful laser weapons, from a Shogun Battleship, to a single imperial warrior.

Meanwhile, as the Japanese rise in the technological route, the Allies and the Soviets enter the Space Race. The two factions competed to see who could develop a suitable space shuttle that could allow a man to travel to the moon. In the late 1960s the Allies win the race, the Soviets getting a shuttle to the moon shortly a few months after. By early 1968, the Earth is outfitted with over 200 satellites delivered from both sides, all orbiting in there own selected sectors.

Things got tense once it hits late 1968. Due to the results of the Space race, American President Ackerman's anti-communist campaign, and the fight over Germany, The Soviets build up an army under Stalin's new replacement's , Prime Minister Anatoly Cherdenko, orders and open fire in Berlin on Allied soldiers, declaring war and starting the Third World War.

The Allies, Soviets, and the Empire of the Rising Sun faced off in a global "counter clockwise" conflict that left each faction with two major fronts. The Soviets plowed though the ill prepared European resistance all the way down to northern Italy. The battle of Britain is were the war starts to make a violent u-turn. The defenses at Brighton Beach leave a hole in the Soviet's invasion force after the Allied victory caused many by American air support. The combined might of British and American armies switch their defense into an offense as they cross the Atlantic and begin the liberation of Europe. After a few naval skirmishes from Soviet and ERS submarines the Allies make it into France, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Portugal. A few major battles were the battle of Cannes, the defending of Mykonos, Operation Golden Fire in Germany, and the truce before the battle for Gibraltar, Spain.

Cannes was special agent Tanya Adam's first link in the long chain of battles she would participate in. She, with the aid of a few spies, destroyed the soviet fleet that guarded the building holding up a large number of important European officials. After the fleet was gone the Allied land forces did the rest. Tanya was used again in Operation Golden Fire once the Allies entered Heidelberg. After getting ambushed, she still managed to help the destruction of the Soviet fortress that used new Iron Curtain technology, as well as the mass produced Apocalypse tanks.

The only major loss that the Allies sustained was in Geneva, Switzerland where despite American Naval reinforcements, the Soviet forces outnumbered them on land and used submarines in the waters to sink the American Aircraft Carriers. A near loss in the Greek Islands of Mykonos almost cost it for the Allies as a research facility was attacked by a Soviet task force that was superb in offensive properties but weren't able to defend for long due to the force being made up of attack helicopters and their amphibious strike craft, the Sting Ray. They managed to capture the facility but lost it quickly because Allied reinforcements consisted of aerial units and tanks, an effective counter to the Soviet forces.

In 1970 most of Europe was retaken and liberated from the clutches of the Soviet Union. But the Empire of the Rising Sun made a public announcement to both the Allied and the Soviet citizens that the will have total dominance of the world and any retaliation will result in death and destruction. A strategic but risky move that unexpectedly resulted in a cease fire between the Allies and the Soviets.

The first ERS victory was in Vladivostok, Russia where their forces outnumbered the Soviets 150 to one and won in a total victory. From the other side of Russia they gained another victory on New Years Day in Vorkuta. They spread out there forces away from the foot holds and towards the Country's center. Stalingrad is attacked too decoy the Russians into putting there attention on the ERS attackers and away from a supply convoy heading for Odessa. Once the Soviets realized what was happening the convoy was already in Odessa's shores, building a new project on a small piece of land in the outskirts of the city. The Shogun Executioner was the ERS's key to victory to enter Moscow. Since it absorbed electricity from the soviet's teals technology, it was deemed invulnerable. Odessa was desecrated with few soviet survivors. It seemed to be the end of the Soviet Union and the rise of the new Japanese Empire.

Soon enough The ERS forces reached Leningrad but thanks to a new elite sniper commando, Natasha Volkova, the troops defending it are rallied enough to defend the city until air support comes in and wreaks havoc on the ERS naval forces. Natasha then moves to Krasna- 45 where a much need abandoned satellite could be lunched to aid in the fight against their ruthless invaders. After the satellite's launch the ERS's special soldier, Yuriko Omega, appears in an ambush party. Yuriko was known by every soldier around the world for killing and destroying everything she wished to with the powers of her mind. In a short but critical battle, Natasha defeats Yuriko herself. In the southeast, the Soviet forces are now better equipped and in there own territory. They manage to push the ERS back into and out of Vladivostok, destroying any ERS monuments or structures they encounter.

As the Allies get pelted from the Pacific and the Soviets get invaded from the northwest and the southeast by ERS forces, the two newly joined armies in Europe stop the invading ERS forces attempting to enter from Spain and Greece. In Gibraltar, Spain the much respected Tanya and the feared Natasha both perform a covert operation to sabotage the ERS airport and leave the battle in the ERS's defeat despite Naval support, witch was quickly eliminated by the Soviet navy placed in the port. The ERS Army never passed the city limits, concluding in a well placed defense in Europe.

The Allied and Soviet duo faced a new threat coming in the form of two Floating Fortress's blocking southern Europe and Northwestern Russia. As the two forces distracted the fortress with hit and run tactics, the Black Tortoise was destroyed with covert operations that destroyed the Fortress's power supply from the inside out. The Fortress was left without any defenses and to the duo's will. The White Dugong was a bit more lucky in the sense of casualties. The Allies fleet located in the Mediterranean had to fight it and won in a minor victory, having heavy casualties on both sides.

In the pacific, the Japanese invaded American soil as they attempt to take control of California, since California contains most of America's bases and military ports then any other state. A spearhead is formed in Santa Monica, where Tanya is sent to defend it as well. The Japanese could barely leave the shore until they are wiped out as well as their third Floating Fortress, the Silver Tiger. The invasion force is foiled as most of the pacific ERS fleet is used up and destroyed. The Americans take the offensive and attack Hawaii. The defending ERS forces receive aid for the main ERS fleet but are still defeated, ending in the American retaking of Hawaii.

In America, a world threatening event occurred. The anti-communist president had secretly created a super weapon out of Mt. Rushmore and planned on using it to annihilate the Soviets. In fear of a Global catastrophe, the European forces and non death ray supporting American forces thankfully stopped the president before he could of caused any conflict with the soviets. Sadly they had to kill the president, having the vice-president take his place until the next election.

Back in Russia the Shogun Executioner destroys everything in it's path. It eventually reaches Russia's capitol, Moscow. With their capitol and their leaders in danger, every Soviet soldier attempt to defend the city to the death without any surrender or defections. They take advantage of the Shogun Executioner's main weaknesses, it's slow speed and it's vulnerability to aerial units. Flooding Moscow's sky with twin blade copters, the Shogun Executioner is overwhelmed with missiles and machinegun fire with no way of fighting back. Dreadnoughts from the sea and V4 rocket launcher trucks finish off the monstrosity as well as the remaining ERS forces. After they cleaned up most of the remaining ERS troops in their sector, the Southeastern Russian Naval Fleet is left with an open path to their target, Mt. Fuji.

Without an adequate fleet to protect the Pacific, the Allies ship straight to Japan with little retaliation. The Russians experience the same amount of difficulty. The Allies planned assaults on Tokyo Harbor and Yokohama. Since the Emperor expected the Soviets to attack Mt. Fuji by a massive airdrop, he bolsters the mountain's air defenses to counter their plans. Operation Wilting Lotus had begun.

The Allies are promised by the Soviet Navy to be aided with any spare able units but are later told that they are to far away. Using their new Chronosphere, they manage to survive a devastating attack by the ERS's Psionic Decimator, a powerful super weapon that uses an unknown power to create a humungous blast of kinetic energy, equivalent to the power of a small meteor crashing into Earth. In the end the Allies claim victory in Tokyo Harbor. The Strange event in Yokohama is later called the "Yokohama Event" where Allied and Soviet forces are recorded to be entering the city but a few hours later they seemed to of "disappeared". A Soviet recovery convoy is sent to inspect it but they "disappear" as well.

In Mt. Fuji, the Soviet air drop ends disastrously with non of the planes surviving. But by chance a lone conscript and a war bear manage to make it to the emperor's garden but kills an android of the emperor inside of the real one and is captured. Land based reinforcements come in during the distracted anti air defense and set up a foot hold. After a long battle the Soviets destroy the palace at Mt. Fuji. The Emperor attempts a last stand in a modified red Battle Walker but is overwhelmed and killed.

Because of the Mt. Rushmore incident, the Soviets and Allies agree to have a meeting at Easter Island to discuss their cease fire and make it official. As the Allied Aircraft Carrier entered the port it was surrounded by a Soviet ambush naval party. The Allies have fallen into a trap but were expecting it. Nearby ships killed off the ambush, allowing for the Aircraft Carrier to Escape. By fate a civil war broke out between the Soviet forces and the Premier's loyalist, who held up a base around the mouth of a volcano. The Soviet forces won the battle but lost the chance to make a crippling blow to the Allies with their failed ambush.

Up in the north at Von Esling Airbase, the Soviets make a move to destroy it to severely cripple their air force. The destroy the base but the Premier loyalist decide to but their effort into annihilating the Soviet's highest ranking leader, general Krukov, in fear of retaliation. Krukov is killed as the surviving Allies evacuate to America where they'll be safer. With skies near England and Greenland clear, the loyalist there make a trip to attack the United States. There target: New York City.

As the Soviets attack the East Cost of America, A large battalion of ERS troops survived in western Russia. They found out about the development of a new weapon that is being made by Future Tech in Amsterdam. The ERS battalion nearly reaches the facility when a Soviet scientist, GregorZelinsky, arrives to the city with a large Soviet forces to support the Future Tech Soldiers. It was recorded in his transmission to the ERS leader that he was part of a time modifying project and that they should even exist. With the power of a super weapon that he created, the Vacuum Imploder, he destroys the entire city around the Future Tech Structure. No ERS forces were found in or around Amsterdam after that event.

The mission to conquer New York City was a Soviet victory in the beginning. They overran several parts of the city with only the Statue of Liberty remaining. But after a long battle and the help of their Chronosphere, the Allies repel the Soviets and have them surrender. America was safe from the Loyalist and took it to their turf as the European forces headed towards Leningrad.

Since the Primer had gone rouge with the rest of the Soviets, the Allies are allowed as well as aided to reach Leningrad. As the Allies arrive, the Premier was preparing to lunch a shuttle, with him in it, straight to the moon. Defended by Iron Curtains and intense V4 missile barrages, the Allies tried to make hate to destroy the Iron Curtains. By the time they do the Premier had constructed a Vacuum Imploder. But before he could use it the Allies use there newly made Proton Collider, a device that fires 5 separate anti-protons wrapped within magnetic coats that violently collide with normal protons, creating massive destruction. They Proton Collider fires at the Shuttle as it lunches, destroying everything on the Island that had the misfortune of being there. With the tragic end to the Premier and the surrender of the Empire of the Rising Sun, the war had ended with an Allied victory.

World War Three was one of the fastest but deadliest wars that the world had witnessed, taking more lives then all the wars since the 1900's combined. By the end of the war in 1972, the Soviet Union is broken up into 15 separate republics. The republic led by Dasha Fedorovich finds out about a ploy being developed by Future Tech's own President, Rupert Thornley. The very Soviet existence was on the line as they fought defending Future Tech forces until they destroy the "Sigma Harmonizer" on Sigma Island. The heavy casualty rate from both sides was all worth it in the eyes of the Soviets to protect their eternal beliefs.

Even though the war was over the fight wasn't, nor the pain. The Allies sought to regain control over desolated European cities and the United States attempted to settle in with there new president. In the Pacific Theater, the Japanese people grieved the death of their Emperor. As the heir of the throne, Crown Prince Tatsu, was given the title Emperor, he still wasn't stable from his lose; nor was Japan. The able Allied troops aided Emperor Tatsu to defeat the Shogunate revolution and bring Japan to peace. Once they get the three main defected Shogunate Generals under control, all that was left was to pick up the piece.

During the Allies involvement with regaining control of the Shogunate, Emperor Tatsu ordered an attack on Soviet occupied Northern Japan in his major goal of taking back his father's land. After taking back Northern Japan he attempts an attack on the Soviet base in Vladivostok but is repelled by heavy defenses. With all of his troops exhausted and low on moral they have no choice but to retreat back to Japan.

By late 1973 the War's embers has settled down and the new American president is re-elected. Every American was ecstatic from the announcement except for one trusted soldier. The first thing that Tanya Adams did after hearing the results was get a one way ticket to Lucciana, France. She made a promise to respond to the call of duty, and it was her duty to protect the free world. She just didn't expect it to cause her to go renegade.


	2. Chapter 1: Aftermath

The streets of Brest bustled with Allied Peace Keepers rushing to their destinations in every which way. Most of the citizens were either packed in groups or hurried to where they wanted to go by their selves. And why not? The place was corrupted to the brim with gangs, thieves, and most of all, renegades. Tanya didn't fret though. She was trained to handle these kinds of situations. She's survived more treacherous findings in one day then most soldiers have in there entire service.

You imagine it, she's wrecked it. Hammer tanks, rouge Guardian tanks, V4 rocket launchers, Dreadnoughts, Apocalypse Tanks, bullfrogs, Tsunami Tanks, King Oni's, the works! And most recently: the airport bathroom. She likes meat loaf but meat loaf doesn't like her back. She almost felt bad for the one who would have to unclog that unholy mess. She's seen less destruction after blowing up a super reactor, and that was no overstatement.

As she walked casually to her destination she remembered the last conversation she had with her dad yesterday.

"Dad, is this you finally?" Tanya asked, tired of waiting on the phone though secretaries to talk with her father.

"Tanya! Honey, where are you? I have everyone looking for you! We're all worried!" He said, sounding scarred half out of his mind.

"I can't live in America dad. The last president was a Japanese android and tried to have both us and the Soviets wiped off the face of the Earth. I just wanted to say that I love you, and tell mom not to worry about me. She's got enough problems already and I don't want me missing to make her condition get worse."

"Tanya Isabel Adams! You return to the States this instant!" Her father shouted in the phone.

"Sorry daddio, I've got a plane to catch." She hung up.

Back in the present, Tanya approached a hotel with a vacancy sign outside. A couple of gun shots stirred up a crowd of robbers picking at a car in the hotel's parking lot. They took the stolen tires and car doors with them as they scurried about, trying to find shelter from the shooter.

Tanya readied her Black Buzzard custom pistols in her hands as she hooked around the corner to meet the perpetrator. The shooter was a Peace Keeper who messily wore his ripped uniform and scratched up body armor. He lowered his Grummoud-8 pump action shotgun and she lowered her pistols in realization of allegiance.

"What's your malfunction soldier," Tanya asked the Peace Keeper, trying to understand why he would fire on civilians.

"Those few have always been getting on my nerves," He answered as he took off his helmet, "I didn't hurt them though."

He was a normal looking Spanish male with a short, poorly groomed beard and shaggy black hair. In the state Europe's been in for the last few years, protocol was not exactly top priority. Hell, she was surprised he was even wearing a uniform.

"Right, just try to refrain from firing that thing at night, okay baby? A girls gotta sleep."

She said turning around to continue her walk into the hotel.

"Wait!" The soldier shouted, holding a hand up in front of him, hoping that somehow it'll make her turn around.

"What?"

"Can you sign my calendar?" He said pulling out a folded up calendar from one of his ammo pouches.

"Why would I sign it? I'm an American Commando sweetie, not a movie star. Although I did take acting lessons."

"But you're the one featured in the calendar."

"Oh. Well in that case I- wait a minute! I didn't agree to any calendar! This is bogue!" She looked at the pictures in the calendar and scoffed when she understood what was going on, "Warren," She growled, "That two timing fake. Well that is the last time I participate in a platoon water balloon fight!"

"What about the pictures of you in dresses?" The soldier asked pointing to March, June, and September.

"We dated for a bit. Are you happy you questioning conquistador?"

"Not until you give me your autograph." He said presenting the calendar and pen.

"Fine I'll sign the thing. What's your name?"

"Captain Antonio Vasquez."

She put her signature on the cover's left corner and handed it back to him, "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta book."

"Whoa, your not going to stay at that hotel, are you agent?"

"Why? Are the bathroom's covered in peep holes?"

"Well that and you could just stay at the Allied base on the outskirts."

Tanya felt like she should fight it but she decided to follow him, "Ok, take me to the base."

"Far out! Let's go!"

He gave her a tour of the base as he showed her around. It wasn't a big base, but it had the essentials.

"The power plants over there give this city the only life it has, a few attacks badly damaged one and left some people in the dark until our engineers repaired it. The barracks are only in basic clearance, so don't expect anything rad in there. Your lucky you found me you know." He commented.

"Oh really?" Tanya asked sarcastically.

"Shya! I've been her since the Soviet take over and after. Now I just help with keeping the peace." He made a peace sign with two fingers at her. She did it back and smiled.

"The defenses have been salvage a bit to save for rebuilding the city itself. Until the Allies can resupply us then it would be a no-brainer. But I'm guessing that Europe's no on the top priorities. Maybe if the politicians lived in these people's shoes for a second they might change there minds, you know?"

"I hear ya man." She said, trying to get familiar with the place.

After the tour they went to the mess hall to get some food. Tanya got a bland meal of soup and crackers while Antonio got a pork chop with mashed potatoes. They found an empty table and dug in.

"You know Captain Vasquez, I have to say, I'm starting to like Brest."

"I like breast too." He said agreeing.

"Yeah," She said crossing her legs to get ready to eat, "I mean this place is so chaotic. There's so much danger here. It's kind of cozy."

"Oh, you mean the city. I thought you were talking about…never mind. But if this is cozy, then I don't want to know what makes you uncomfortable."

"Spiders." She said nodding, "I've never liked them much." She started drinking her soup straight from the bowl.

"So miss Adams," Antonio said between bites, "What brings a high ranking official like you to a rural place like Brest."

"You really want to know?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I'm here on a top secret mission only know by a few people in the world. And if I told you, I would have to kill you, slowly."

Antonio's eyes widened. He nearly choked on the mouth full of pig. She sounded serious,

"Uhh, lets just change the subject then," He said after swallowing and chuckled nervously.

"Ok, What is a Spanish soldier doing in France before the war started?" Tanya asked, spinning the noodles in her bowl with her fork.

"It's a bit embarrassing but, I got on the wrong truck and ended up in a different platoon. Can you imagine being in a group of people who don't speak your language?"

"Do I!" She shouted, spiting a couple of noodles at Antonio's face, "Oh, sorry."

He wiped his face off with a napkin as she continued, "But have you herd of a giant concert in 69 called Woodstock? Let me tell you, I was wasted, the players were wasted, everyone! There was a huge smoke cloud that just hovered right above all of us. I was told that I wasn't even saying words half of the time!"

"Wow. Is this band Woodstock really that good?" He asked fascinated.

"No, Woodstock was the name of the event. There were like 30 bands and it ran for about four days. Don't you have concerts in Spain?"

"Yes we do, but not 30 bands at a time, you Americans have enough time and money to do things like that. We actually prefer being active in Spain."

As they talked a young British tank commander approached the table. He had long hair and a good sized beard. Along with the glasses he looked like he belonged in a singing circle more then a military base.

"Oi lad, found yourself a lady mate?"

"What it is, Jonny!" Antonio greeted then turned to Tanya, "This is Jonny. But most of us here call him Wacko."

"Nice to meet you." Tanya said, hold out a hand for him to shake.

He shook it rapidly. When he removed his hand, a mess of oil and grease covered Tanya's entire hand, "Oh sorry lass, I was fixing up that blasted cage of a Guardian out back."

"It's ok. I was done eating anyway." She said cleaning her hand with a few napkins.

"Say lass, would you fancy an air biscuit. It would do the baker proud."

"Uhh, ok sure."

"Alright, here it comes." He held onto the table with both hands as a loud trumpet-like noise filled the area around them. Jonny pushed hard enough to leave a wet note at the end. Antonio was in an up roar of laughter as he pounded the table.

"That's just gross." Tanya said holding her nose and waving the air away from her face.

"Get it, air biscuits!" Jonny said laughing, "Oh! Smells like a baker's dozen in there. Guess I underestimated the furnace." He stood up, holding the bottom of his pants like he was carrying something in there.

"Oh hey Jonny," Antonio said once he settled down, "Is there any new bounties in the bulletin today?"

"Bulletin?" Tanya asked confused.

"Yeah, we work off of bulletins and whoever feels up to the challenge they go and do the job then get paid. It's more of a motivator then anything." Antonio answered.

"Aye. There is a new one up. But it's a sticky wicket. The main hideout of the gang of misfits that's been causing organized troubles in this place have been spotted. Seems they have bought out a few red weapons and would do the city good to lose them. A rich factory owner is willing to pay for the job. Why? You're not planning on taking the bat and making a swing are ye?"

"Hey, I've dealt with a war here. A few thugs with AK's are a push over." Antonio said with the utmost confidence.

"Aye, then good luck to ya lad. I gotta book. Nice seeing you lass." He said, about to shake Tanya's hand again.

She flung her hand away, hoping he wouldn't drench her in sludge, "Uhh, let's just wave goodbye." She said waving her hand.

He waved back and left to go finish the job he started with the tank. Once Jonny got out of ear shot, Antonio was entranced in a panic.

"What's wrong Tony? You look like the pork chop is going for seconds."

"I'm not sure I can do the job alone." He said in between pants and wiping sweat from his forehead, "During the war I was stuck in the barracks. I'm only a captain because I hide in a basement and waited until the Soviets drank themselves silly to call for back up. I can only thank god for vodka being so powerful to hammer people up in a few sips."

"Hey, hey." Tanya said giving him support, "Don't worry. Here, I'll tell you what: I'll help you with the job and you can keep the reward."

"Really? Wait, what's the catch?"

"I can't have myself being seen around the Allies for long. If word get out to the Americans, I might be sent back."

"Why?" He asked puzzled.

"Like I said, I'll have to kill you."

"Right, ok. Fine. It's a deal, ha."

"Kicking!" She yelled standing up to get prepared, "Alright! let's shake it baby!"


	3. Chapter 2: Shake It Baby

"What are you going to bring?" Tanya asked from the other side of the locker room. The armory was right next to the lockers, so Antonio was able to hear her clearly, despite the roar of the running water flowing out of the shower head.

"Just my shield, my shotgun, and a side arm just in case." He said cleaning out his Grummoud-8 shotgun's barrel to clear out any gunpowder residue, "Are you going to take long in there?"

"Almost done. The last time I showered was before the uprising, so I got a lot of scrubbing to do," She answered, rubbing the bar of soap all over, "Do you know how much crap gets caught in concealed places? I had to change showers to let my feet get clean!"

"Antonio scratched his head and watched clumps of dirt fall onto the wooden bench he sat on, "Wow, I wish I could remember the last time I showered."

"Umm eww," She commented as she turned the shower off, "Say Tony, could you hand me a towel?" She peeked her head over the shoulder high wall that separated the showers from the lockers and reached an arm out.

"Oh sure." Antonio said laying the gun down and picking up a towel from a nearby bench, "Here you go," he said entering the locker room and tossing the towel in Tanya's direction.

"Hey, too high!" She complained while she jumped to catch it, unintentionally exposing something's that Antonio hasn't seen in a long while.

"Whoa!" He said, quickly turning away.

"What is it?"

"Uhh, no-nothing," He cleared his throat, "I'm a- I'm gonna call a friend and check up on my girl." He said walking to the next room where a phone was connected. As he entered, he closed the door behind him to avoid excess background noise.

Unknowingly, Tanya called out to him thinking he was still in the armory, "Hey Tony, I better not catch you staring as I change." She informed as she dried herself off. She walked into the locker room and put back on her undergarments, her olive T-shirt, then her bell bottom jeans. She was about to lace up her combat boots when she noticed there wasn't any noise coming from the armory.

"Tony, are you there?" She called out. It was answered with silence. She walked into the armory and found his gun laying on the bench, but no sign of him. Just then she remembered that he went to check on his little girl. She was about to open the door to the next room when a voice stopped her from moving any further.

"Has she been a good girl?" The voice asked. It had a Spanish accent, most likely Antonio's, "Muy bien, I hope she's behaving. She hasn't tried to run away has she? Bien, she's a slippery little girl. But I guess Lela isn't so little any more."

"_That's sweet," _Tanya thought, _"He seems to care about his daughter a lot. I wish my dad cared about me like that."_

"Does she do anything odd when the two of you sleep together?" He continued, "She would always bite me whenever we did."

"_Oh my god!_" She thought, _"I take it back, that's just unhealthy!"_

"Oh and remember, don't leave anything that gives off any smells in you pockets or else she might tear your pants right off."

"_Jesus Christ! This guy is a nut job!"_

"Anyway, I'll come by later to take her back, hopefully she hasn't gotten to used to being with you. Alright bye Charlie."

Antonio hung up and walked back into the armory. But once he opened the door, he was greeted with a gun to the face.

"Whoa Tanya, put that down! Don't you know gun safety?" He yelled, shielding himself with his arms.

"Just what kind of sicko are you? Incest, pedophilia, and having your friend have his way with her as well? She your daughter!"

"Ok Tanya, first off: I don't have a daughter. Second off: if I did, I wouldn't let Charlie have here since he's married. Now what in the world gave you such crazy ideas?"

"Don't lie to me, I heard everything you said on the phone just now." She kept the gun fixed on him.

"Oh my god, you nearly gave me a heart attack! I was talking about my dog, Lela."

Tanya was confused now, "What?"

"My dog. Ever since the war ended I've had my friend Charlie take care of her since walking around town with a dog is more dangerous for her then anything. I was going to pick her up today to show you as a surprise, but I guess I didn't expect you to be so snoopy."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said breathing a sigh of relief and putting the gun down, "When you said girl I thought it was your daughter. Boy is my face red." She laughed.

"Well at least you pants aren't brown."

"Eww, you need to keep things to yourself Tony."

Johnny swung himself out of the metal wreck he called a Guardian Tank as he talked with his friend, Master Sergeant Starr.

"That ought a do it Big Ring. With just a few more adjustments on Helen and we'll be making a breakthrough in Allied tank battles."

"Isn't this a bit to risky Johnny? I mean where are we going to get the extra parts to make this work? Assault Destroyers aren't made like those fragile IFV's you know."

"Nonsense Ringo. Even the amount of Black Hole Armor from one of those Destroyers will cough out enough rounds to take on any city that'll threat the old bird in blue. But most of all, well beat those crazy Beauchamp brothers and there modified Mirage Tank. Then the reward money can help us get our band started when the four of us return home."

"That's if we return," Sergeant Harrison commented, "With the way Europe is we'll probably enter a civil war here before out contracts end."

"Pish-Posh George. We're here to evade the route of civil war. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we weren't, right?"

"But we aren't doing our jobs! You've been chasing those Beauchamp brothers ever since they defected. That was a year ago!"

"Hey Wacko! Tanya and I are ready to head out to the town to make some bread, you want anything while we're there?" Antonio said walking by from the armory.

"Ah yes, be a sport and bring me back a coke and a box of donuts."

"Wait, what are you doing this time?" Antonio asked, stopping in his tracks.

"My new invention: The Black Hole Tank Shell. Anything it hits will also be hit by anything else made of metal in the area. Want to see?" He asked getting ready to hop into the tank.

"No! Jesus Wacko, you'll destroy the entire barracks…again." He said remembering last time Jonny had fired an experimental round on the base. It took nearly forever for everyone to put the fires out.

"Alright, wish us luck. Nice talking to you again Tank Commander Lennon." Tanya add as they walked.

"Good luck, and try not getting shot up this time Vasquez."

As the two left the premises that was the untidy barracks, Lieutenant McCartney ran up to the two excitedly, "Hey you guys! I just got news from HQ!"

"Blimey!" Johnny said shocked, "HQ has talked to us in ages. I've herd of married couples that have had more communication."

"Yeah, but guess what? The Americans are offering a whapping load of bread for the capture of a defected soldier."

"Wow, imagine all the sandwiches we could make with that bread." George said.

"Not that kind of bread," Lennon snapped, "He means cash, money, clams, green, sweet lettuce! How much are they offering?"

"A million!" McCartney shouted.

Big Ring's helmet nearly spun, "A million credits?"

"Jonny can buy a new tank with that." George said.

"He can buy a thousand more tanks, and more." Paul added.

"Who is the rebel? The president …again." Ringo asked.

"No, a woman."

"Woman?" They all questioned.

"Yes, a girl named Tanya Isabel Adams."

"Tanya?" John said.

"Isabel?" George said.

"Adams?" Ringo yelled.

"She was here!" They shouted in unison.

The air filled with groans of distress and profanity as they realized they just let a million credits slip by. But all was not lost. She was still near.

"Come on lads, hop on Helen," Lennon said. They grabbed onto the tank and john floored it, "Tally ho!"

"A dance club?" Tanya questioned.

"This is where the hideout is found in the job description," Antonio answered, looking again at the paper the job was written onto.

"I know but isn't it a bit…out of place? I was expecting city hall or a castle or something."

"Come on Tanya, nobody's that creative nowadays. Besides, a dance club is perfect. There's room, shelter, basements, and it's a great disguise to hide the gang members."

"Until now," Tanya added.

Once they entered the club, their bodies were overwhelmed with flashing lights and disco music. The dance floor was filled with dancers of all types and ages. They had a hard time listening to themselves think, let alone talk to each other. They tried talking but could barely hear one another.

"How are we going to find the gang?" Antonio shouted.

"Don't worry, I got it covered. Just have your shield ready." She shouted back and search the second floor with her eyes for the DJ booth. It was across the room from her, she whipped out her Black Buzzard Custom Pistols and laid fire on the record table. Once the shots rang out and the music was cut short, the dancers all scattered to avoid being shot. A stamped of people rushed out the doors when the gang members reviled themselves by opening fire on Tanya and Antonio.

Tanya ran to the side while firing off some suppressing fire and Antonio protected himself with his shield. Dozens of gangsters flooded from the staircases that lead from the back rooms on the second floor, all with ADK-45s. Bullets sponged into Antonio's shield as he rushed to the left side of the building to find cover. Tanya stuck to the right, wasting any gangsters close to her on the ground floor.

As Antonio got near a pillar one of the bad guys threw a Molotov Cocktail square on the shield's glass window. He had no choice but to drop it, unless he wanted the flames to crawl over and seer his helmet to his head. Now his shotgun filled his hands as he prepared to get a better spot to start firing.

Meanwhile Tanya has reached her part of the second floor, running up the staircase to get there. Bodies fell from the railing as she shot up each one of the untrained bad guys around her. Antonio sprinted towards his staircase, hitting one bad guy that strayed onto the ground floor. Once he got to the second floor as well, Tanya was there ready to take care of his blind side.

They stood back to back, taking out a few that rushed to where they were then separated again to swing around again, moving in an oval shape to meet up again on the other side of the building. Antonio took cover behind the wall that separated the stairways from the main dance floor as heavy fire prevented him from continuing. Bits and Pieces of his shoulder pad flew off from the onslaught of bullets.

From the right side Tanya opened fire onto Antonio's attackers with one gun and her own with the other then returned to cover to reload. Antonio's attackers changed targets as Tanya returned to cover. Just then Antonio rushed in, laying down a stream of buckshot onto the attackers taking out most of them. Before he found new cover behind a small wall he fired onto the bad guys on Tanya's side to get their attention.

Knowing they'd fall for it Tanya shot up the six guys on her side and finished off the last two on Antonio's. He got out of cover to see that the dust had settled. Tanya gave him a thumbs up making him smile in relief. "It's still not over though," Antonio shouted across the room, "There's still the basement."

Tanya threw her head back and groaned, "There's always a second part to these things. Alright, you keep an eye up here and get any gangsters that try to get it this place, I'll handle the basement."

"Deal." He agreed and went to go find a good place to keep watch. Tanya reloaded as she went down the stairs and to a hallway on the left side. Soon enough she found the door to the basement. Two enemies tried to just aim at her once she opened the door but she dispatched them in a flash…well two to be exact. Their assault rifles had barely touched the ground when she was already half way down the stairs to the depths of the dance club.

The generator room buzzed from the large generators need to power up the hundreds of lights and the squares on the dance floor as Tanya passed by. "Something's off here. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was going to walk right into a-" She opened the door to the next room, "Ambush."

She looked around but saw nothing but an empty grey hallway. The blandness of the concrete walls seemed to even suck the life out of the cobwebs that clung to the corners. There were a couple of large entrances to small rooms that were used for storage. The boxes full of miscellaneous dusty knick knacks made it seem like the place hasn't been touched in centuries.

"Huh, I guess I was wrong," She said as she followed the hallway that made a sharp right. Once she turned the corner she knew she was mistaken, "Whoops, spoke to soon." What waited on the other side was a loading bay filled with gangsters, all aiming their

ADK-45's straight at her. She leaped back around the bend as a hail of gunfire filled the hallway. Several Molotov Cocktails busted against the concrete wall while Tanya got up and hugged the wall. A couple tried to pursue her through the narrow hallway. Tanya stole a glance and wrapped her arm around the corner to fire blindly at them. A few shots hit their target when their leader appeared. He toppled storage shelves filled with creates in his Tesla-reactor-powered Armored Tesla Suit. The walked tank fired at her arm with the suit's Mk II Diode Gauntlets, making a huge crater behind Tanya from the gauntlet's powerful electric blast. The shots acted as an explosive as well as an electrical projectile, making Tanya hide herself as quickly as possible.

"Hide you coward!" The leader shouted in French though the suit, which resembled one of those underwater body suits from the early 1900s, his face shadowed from the small circular glass window that allowed him to see.

"To think of all people, you guys would of surrendered a long time ago." Tanya taunted but was answered with another jolt of electricity. She pulled out a radio from her back pocket, "Yeah on second thought, I'm going to need a bit of help here."

"Aww don't tell me: war bears?"

"Uhh," Another blast of electric current blew off a large chunk from the corner as Tanya had to crouch to avoid being exposed, "No, worse. It's a Tesla Troop." She peeked around the corner and was confronted with an explosion of bullets, "And more goons."

"Can't we just go back to base and call it a day? I think I hurt my foot when I-"

"Quit being a baby and get yourself down here!" She shouted into the radio.

"Yes mam," He said sighing. She could hear him picking up his riot shield as it scrapped against a tile floor, "Where are you?"

"I'm in the basement. Just go down the stairs and head right. You'll see me getting shot at, now move!"

She tried laying down a bit of suppressing fire as she waited for her partner to arrive. After every shot from the Diode Gauntlets she had a good five seconds before it could fire again, including the charge time. She could wait for the suit to run out of juice but that would take an excruciatingly long time to happen. Considering it was a current model, it actually robbed other nearby electrical conduits in the area when deprived of power, in other words: the generators in the other room will make the suit last forever.

As Antonio entered the hallway where Tanya was taking cover, he saw the giant blast carve another hole into the concrete wall behind her. "Alright, I'm here," He said, a bit out of breath, "Now what?"

"Why are you asking me? I got nothing."

"What do you mean nothing? Aren't you an expert war veteran? Haven't you been in situations like this?"

"Yes, but considering the only ammunition I could get was the basic kind, they can't do anything to the armored suit."

"Can't you just hit him in the face. The glass isn't bullet proof."

"I only get enough time to shoot with barley my arm exposed, the time it would take me to get a shot on his face I'll be turned to Swiss cheese." She thought for a few seconds then said, "Wait! I've got a light bulb!

"What's that going to do to him? A light bulb will just brake on the metal."

"No, I mean I've got an idea! Alright you go in that room," She pointed to the room to the left of the entrance to the hall way, "And I'll go into that one. Then, once the leader tries to find us, you sneak around him and handle the goons."

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of aqualung. You just focus on your task."

"Resorted to hiding little girl? That's smart of you." The leader said, his voice distorted from the suit's intercom. He lugged through the hallway as the Gauntlets popped and sparkled from the intense current coursing through them.

"Come out and play little one." He continued to pester in French, "You better of had run off. It'll save us the time to clean up your mess."

"Hey snail breath," Tanya hollered from behind some wooden creates stacked near the wall just a few feet from the gang leader, "You want me, then earn it."

The leader blasted of a jolt, Tanya ducking behind the creates to avoid being fried. With all of her might she pushed the stack of creates onto the leader, coving him in mangled cables and broken plates. "Now's your chance Tony!" She yelled as she headed towards the generator room.

The clutter of stuff flew off the leader as Antonio snuck behind him with his shield ready to protect himself from the goon's gunfire. The suit allowed the leader to effortlessly plow through the debris of plates and fired at Tanya. She managed to swing around the edge just in time to have the jolt burn out one of the generators. But as the gauntlets recharged, Tanya used that time to quickly stick her tongue out at him. After the leader missed again Tanya headed for the exit.

"_I wonder_…" She thought as she ran to the stairs, but stopped as a blast of electricity destroyed the top of the stairway, rubble falling down to the floor, leaving a huge gap from the stairs to the ground floor. It was impossible for her to escape that way.

The leader laughed, "Now I got you."

She new what she had to do, she just had to time it perfectly.

The gauntlets sizzled with current as they charged. Then the two both released their stockpile, the electricity flew through the air at blinding speed. Antonio looked at her as he reloaded from trying to fight off the goons at the moment the gauntlets fired.

"Tanya no!" He shouted, dropping a few shells he had in his hand.

But after the leader fired he saw that he hit the wall opposite of him, a bit of concrete falling because of the impact. There wasn't any sign of Tanya anywhere.

"What is this? Magic of some sort?" He asked out loud, puzzled.

"Take this!" Tanya shouted from behind him as she ran at him at full sprint. He turned around to see her leap into the air and do a flying drop kick. Her feet cracked the glass window of his suit as he fell back from the force, knocking him into the partially destroyed generator. The leader shook violently as huge streaks of sparks flew in every direction. Soon enough the suit stopped moving as it fell apart with ashes pouring from the separated segments.

"Like they always say," Tanya gloated with her hands on her hips, "the heavier they are the- uh. Wait I know this." She tapped her finger on her cheek, "Oh right! The louder they fall. Yeah that's good enough."

She when into the hallway to see how Antonio was doing. As she entered the loading bay she saw him tying the remaining goons up, all of them surrendered. She was a bit impressed.

"Wow Antonio, you really got them scarred. Did they just melt like jell-o as you picked of their friends one by one?" She asked imitating a gun fight with her pistols."

"Uhh no, they just ran out of ammo. Plus the leader had the key to the doors out of here." He said finishing the knot on one of the goon's ropes.

"Oh, well a wins a win." Tanya said putting her guns away.

"So how did you do it? The teleporting thing."

"Oh, you can thank the cats at Future Tech for that with this spiffy Crono Belt they gave me." She said lifting her shirt a bit to show him the belt. It was like a common black leather belt but with wire indentations running all over the strap and a slightly large and thick buckle with half a swirling blue sphere in the middle, clearly the main component to the complicated device.

"Yup, this baby's saved my hide more than twice. Although the side effect is a bit annoying."

"What side effect?"

"You'll know when it happens. Well, should we call HQ?" She said clapping her hands together.

"Already did, they should be here soon. And their idea of soon is a couple of hours." He said as they walked back into the generator room. As they passed by the remains of the leader, Tanya could help but gloat some more.

"I won and you lost. I won and you lost," She sang as she danced, pointing at the suit lying on the ground. She continued with mocking 'ha-ha's as she turned around and bent over to shake her rear in sync with her words.

"Ok Tanya, that's enough for one day." He said laughing, "You want to just relax on the dance floor while we wait?"

"I'm there!" She said running up the stairs but then fell thought the giant gap, "Oh right, stairs are broken," She said getting up, "Lets go the other way." She said running back to the storage bay.

"Wait Tanya, the key!" Antonio said but heard a loud crash from the other side, "How is she a war hero?"

In the dance club they danced for a while until nature call for Tanya. "Hey Tony, I'll be back," She said jogging to the restrooms, "I just gotta warm the seat. Let me know if they get here."

"You got it." He replied in the middle of doing the hustle. A few minutes the front entrance exploded with glass and debris flying into the club. 2X4's and plaster slid across the floor as the tank's large 90mm smoothbore gun nearly rammed into him. Antonio rolled out of the way and got his shotgun ready, but notice that the hulking piece of metal that knocked out the building's side was a familiar Allied tank.

The top hatch opened, tossing the door frame off the tank, "Oi 'Tonio!" Jonny said getting out of vehicle, "You survived! I guess I owe Ringo 15 credits."

"Damn it Wacko!" Antonio shouted, putting his guard down, "Can you just leave that tank outside and enter the place like a normal person?"

"Sorry, George here wanted to drive for the first time, guess I should of told him about the brake on the way here. Now where is she? Where's Tanya?"

"Where's who?" He asked, acting clueless.

"That brunette lass you were with. You know, short hair, green eyes, silver dollars. The American's are going to pay a million dollars for her!"

"Uhh ok, you're going to have to explain the silver dollar thing to me." Antonio said, trying to by some time to think of a lie.

"You know they're like quarters but better looking and silver dollars are the biggest kind of coins to the Americans and the coins are her-"

"Oh right, Tanya. Yeah, she's gone. She left after the gang was taken care of."

"To where? Spit it out Antonio! Our music career is on the line!"

"Uhh…umm, you see uhh-"

"Oh holy heaven above," Ringo said holding his nose, "You smell that?"

"Father McKenzie! It smells like an abandoned butchery." Paul added.

"My eyes are watering, I can't see!" George yelled, gagging.

I can work with this, Antonio thought. "Quick, they must of planted some kind of chemical weapon in here! Let's get out and preferably into the next street!" He shouted, getting a head start out of there. They all ran into the next street over except for Lennon who drove there in his tank.

"I bet you drive that thing into restaurants." Antonio commented as her tried to catch his breath along with the others.

Lennon turned the tank off, "Only if they're to far to walk to. Like the Burger Kong we stopped at to get our burgers and fries." He said holding out a bag of fast food. "Now, you were saying about Tanya's whereabouts."

"Yeah uhh, she's not here anymore. She like mugged me and stuff. I think she's gone crazy or something."

"Well that adds to the challenge, and the bounty hopefully."

"Yeah sure. I'd just head back to base if I were you guys. Maybe someone will have more info."

"Right you are Spaniard! Lets go lads. Back to base!" The four English men got in the tank and rolled off.

"Alright bye, don't run over too many cars!" He shouted as he waved goodbye. His radio popped and crackled as a familiar voice came through.

"Hey, Tony, where did you go?" Tanya asked through the radio.

"Tanya, are you all right? Wait a minute, how did you know they were coming to send you back?"

"Who came? Send me where?" She sounded more confused then ever.

"Lennon and his crew. They said the American government is paying a million dollars for your return. Didn't you know about that?"

"No, I should of never gone to the base. God I'm stupid.

"If you didn't know they were after you then why did you set off a stink bomb?"

"Stink bomb? Oh! Ha ha, that wasn't a stink bomb," She said stretching out the 'that', "It was the belt side effect."

"The belt releases an awful smell after you use it?"

"No, but I do when I file my taxes."

"When did you do taxes?"

"It means when I go to the bathroom Tony. I gotta get you into the American lingo some day."

"Ha ha, cool. Well, what now?" He asked watching some citizens run by with a burning tire. It was starting to get dark and he was in a bad neighborhood. He started walking back to the dance club, praying to god the smell had gone away.

"We got to get out of France, and somehow get to Russia where the Allies will never think of looking for us."

"Whoa, we? I think I should have a say in this."

"Fine, it's your choice. Do you want to be a vigilante with me and disappear or do you want to be held in a prison for the rest of your life for aiding in the escape of a elite commando, being passes around like mashed potatoes at thanksgiving dinner?"

"Your right, I should stick with you, who knows! Maybe you'll need the help. But do you know how we'll get there?" He said walking into the partially destroyed club with Tanya standing in the middle of the dance floor, the lights flashing from under her clearly visible from the dim outside.

"Don't worry," She said putting the radio away, "I've got a plan."


	4. Chapter 3: Highschool reunion

**Author's note: I'm going to switch off to a different faction's point of view every two chapters until all the main characters unite. I hope that this will not confuse any readers in the long run. Also in this chapter I had to divide five different characters. so again, I hope this will not confuse anyone.**

In Imperial Japan, there was less chaos amok but turmoil had not faded. Akira Asuka sat at his cubicle, watching the clock tick on and on. It was only a minute away from the end of the work day, but it felt like hours. This day was different from the rest though. Today he will begin his new job as a assistant manager of Tenzai Robotics. The ten years he had put in ever since he volunteered as an engineer to get away from the office. Now he's risk had finally paid off. His road to the top was nearing the end.

The clock's big hand crossed the '12' symbol as he jumped off his seat and sprinted to the managers office. His fellow salary men dodged him as he passed then in a blur. The Speed Shoes he had invented for the unarmed engineers had saved countless lives during the war, and are now aiding him in getting to the manager before he can even react to the leaving bell. With a few close calls he made it across the office and up the stairs in record time. As Akira approached the office, Manager Tenzai exited into the hallway with another man, the two laughing.

"Akira Asuka here to begin my new work order Mister Tenzai sir."

"Who? Oh, right Asuka. You're here for the water cooler job right?"

"No sir, I'm suppose to be the new Assistant Manager. I've been working my way up for the past 10 years, 3 months, 20 days, 5 hours, and 54 minutes."

"Good, very good. I like that positive character in a man. Now about that position, I guess I forgot to tell you, but it's been filled."

"What? By who?" He exclaimed, puzzled as to how the job was taken. He ranked as one of the most brilliant minds in the country, only a pure genius would be able to out classify his resume.

"My son." Tenzai said presenting the young gentlemen standing to his left, "Would you imagine that, I didn't even know that I had one. It's the least I could of done to make up for the neglect I had put him through. Isn't that right son?"

"You bet daddio. I'm like stoked and stuff."

"Ha ha. He's still getting over his American mothers dialect."

"But- but- but what about me? We can't both be assistant mangers." He stammered.

"Don't worry, you'll still have your old job. Just think of it as a delay in accomplishment."

"Well on that new insight, would you allow me to excuse myself?" Akira asked, already holding a foot in mid stride.

"Of course."

"Thank you." He said, then in a flash was gone from the hall. bundles of paper floated off of the desks he passed and slowly dropped to the ground.

"Whoa, with that kid of speed he should be in delivery." Tenzai said smiling, holding his hair piece to stop it from flying off from the gust of wind created by Akira's velocity.

"You bet your socks man. He's faster then a dog in a Chinese butcher shop."

Tenzai's smile faded, "What part of America did you say your mother was from?"

Akira rushed to the men's bathroom and headed straight into the closest open stall. The door clicked as he locked it up and then dropped the seat's cover to prevent him from falling in as he sat on the sealed toilet. Gathering up a large wad of toilet paper, he stuffed his face into it and screamed at the top of his lungs in anger. The employee in the stall next to him was frightened by his horrendous screams and profanity. He quickly finished his business and hurried out the bathroom, as did the other men in there.

Everyone people from the floors above and below could her his horrific cries of agony. People walking by the bathrooms made sure to steer clear as he screamed. Akira's shrikes and yells continued for a minute until his anger subsided.

"10 years," He said panting, his fingers running through his short blue hair, "10 years of my life wasted because my boss found his son from a woman that he probably doesn't even know her name. Please I beg of you, any god out there listening, get me out of this dead end job. Why could I of just gotten a normal job like a doctor, or a lawyer, or a yakuza safety inspector, or a assistant manager of a robotic corpora- oh right."

He moped out of the bathroom, a large crowd of worried employee's surrounding him. "Is it safe to go in? Is the bear gone?" One of the freighted women of the office asked.

"Bear? What bear?" Akira asked.

"Someone said that a man was being attacked by a bear in there."

"No, it was just me. Me and my job that I'm now stuck in for the rest of my life." He said passing by all of them.

"Oh, that's a relief. It's alright everyone, it's just another empty promotion."

Akira slumped all the way back to his desk and just sat there in gloom. Once he sat down he slammed his head on the keyboard and left it there. The guy in the cubicle next to his, Takumi, walked by him then stopped.

" Hey Akira, why are you in your cubicle? The day's over." He said.

"Don't worry about me Takumi." Akira said turning his head to see him, "I figured that if I'm going to stay in this job for the rest of my life then I might as well not even bother going home. My life is forever to revolve around the wonderful adventure of pencil pushing."

"Well, good luck with that. Say, since you're staying the night here, could you keep an eye on my pens. I think the janitors that clean the place up have been stealing some."

"I'd be honored to be a part of such a plan." He answered, half-heartedly.

"Thanks a few. Catch you later Akira." He said and left to go on home. The office was empty after a few moments of silence. But it didn't seem fair to Akira. How could destiny have this for him. He wished he was a war causality, then that way he would be remembered as a hero instead of 'that guy that filled a chair for 50 years'. He moved his head up a little to see the photo in the picture frame he had sitting next to his computer. He lifted his head up and grabbed it, remembering the day him and his high school friends on the first day of summer after they graduated.

The picture was taken at the school near the front at the water fountain; or what Tsuyoshi would call it: the geyser. The five of then all doing the things they were remembered for. From left to right Tsuyoshi was in his karate pose with his hands at the ready and his black belt around his waist, Gonpachi sitting down performing reps with a one handed weight, Hana taking aim with her favorite sling shot, and Akira reading a book. Suzu would be in the picture as well but she was the one who took the picture. She was always camera shy but loved to take pictures of others.

They all enlisted when the war started those long years ago but were all separated into different divisions. The only one he saw after that picture was taken was Suzu, but that was because she was in a magazine about celebrities. Akira wondered what the others were up to now that the war is over. He expected Tsuyoshi to be a cage fighter, Gonpachi to become a sumo wrestler, and Hana to be in a Japanese Swat team.

The telephone rang, emitting the only sound around him in the deserted office space. He only bothered to move his arm to pick up the phone and bring it to his left ear. Unknowingly to him, the caller would change his life, and give a twist in his expected destiny.

Tsuyoshi Kumano felt at home in his martial arts dojo in a still intact city called Kodaira. The class was a mix of old and new as he clapped his hands twice to get the kids attentions. They lined up in there predetermined spots and bowed. Tsuyoshi bowed back.

"Alright class, after lesson practice is over. Now, before we end today, are there any questions?"

One student in the back raised his hand.

"Yes, you."

"Sensei Kumano, Is your hair naturally that red?" the student said commenting on his oddly colored hair.

"Of course it is little one. You see, when you get to being my age, your hair will change color depending on your personality. Since mine is red like a fire, it means I'm determined and skillful."

"More like wild and a danger to everything around him." One kid said. The classes started laughing.

"Only if I'm not controlled, and that's what martial arts is all about. Having the knowledge to defeat anyone who comes near you, but the self control to contain your power. If you don't keep order, then you'll make chaos. Any more questions?"

A girl on the far right in the front raised her hand this time.

"Yes, you."

"Do you like my mommy?" She asked, making the class laugh again.

"I've told you before Chika, I'll discuss that with you and your mother at dinner tonight. Next time though, wait until after class to ask personal questions like the one you asked. Ok, any more?"

"Sensei Kumano, is it really true that you saved Japan all by yourself?" A boy asked in the front from the opposite end of the girl

"Yes, every bit of it." He said proudly.

"But you do know that it's impossible for you to do that."

"Well Iwao, would you like to explain your little theory to the rest of the class?"

"If you were attacking the Allies from the South East, then the Soviets would off been able to attack us from the North West."

"So I had a bit of help from those other soldiers as I took on the Allies," He gave out a series of punches into the air, "then in a mighty swoop I headed to the Russian Front and took out the communist." He said performing a spinning back kick. As he spun around his foot smashed through the paper thin wall behind him. He pulled his foot out but lost his balance, falling to the floor. The students started laughing and clapping as he struggled to get up. "Alright class, that's all the questions for today. I'll see you all next time and hopefully the wall will be repaired by then."

The kids all left and Tsuyoshi headed straight for his office. Being a martial arts instructor was his dream job, but it took it's toll on his wallet. First the rent for the building, then the other bills like electricity, then the robes and the belts, and lastly the repairs. He was good in his feet and quick with his hands but he had to face the facts that he was a klutz. He's been clumsy since he was a kid but he thought that it would of passed by now.

"At least the hospital is benefiting from my bad luck." He would always remind himself.

He sat in his office chair and went over the bills and reviewed the next lesson plan he had made. While he wrote up the check for his own water bill the phone began to ring. He knew it Chika's mother calling him to see if class is over yet.

"Hello beautiful," He said answering the phone.

"I'll assume you thought I was someone else." A man's voice said on the other side. Tsuyoshi's face matched his hair in redness from embarrassment.

"Th- That's right sir, may I ask who's calling?"

"It's Emperor Tatsu."

Tsuyoshi quickly stood up and saluted, "I'm deeply sorry Emperor Tatsu. It is an honor to be speaking to you over the phone sir!" He shouted.

"OW! Not so loud. Now, listen closely. There will be a car sent out to take you to a meeting point. Right now your are to enter the vehicle stay in it until it reaches it's destination. I'm ordering you to obey the first request, but after I explain to you what I what, I'll allow you to decide. The driver will be wearing a clown suit and the car will be pink with polka dots to make sure you don't mistake it for another vehicle. Tell the driver: Let's go to Disney Land, and he'll let you in. Now go!"

"Yes my Emperor!" He shouted and hung up the phone.

He ran outside and saw a pink, polka dotted car by the curb. The driver was in a clown outfit just like the Emperor had told him. He approached the vehicle's passenger's window and knocked on the glass. The clown rolled the window down, a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"What do you want?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"Uh, let's go to Disney Land." He said, surprised he hand remembered the password.

But to Tsuyoshi's astonishment the clown responded but pulling out a revolver and aiming it and him, "Listen weirdo, I'll give you a chance to just walk far away from me, ok? I just came back from a kid's birthday party and I don't want any trouble."

Tsuyoshi was confused and looked around to see if any one was watching them. But on the other side of the street he saw an other pink and polka dotted car with a guy standing next to it in a clown outfit different from the clown in front of Tsuyoshi, wore sunglasses and had a walkie talkie in one hand. Tsuyoshi bowed to the real clown and ran across the street to talk to the fake one.

"Let's go to Disney Land." He said.

The fake clown put the walkie talkie to his mouth and said, "I've got Kumano." Then guided him to the back seat. The clown started the car and drove quickly to the secret meeting point.

"So why did you put on the clown face paint if you were just going to half-ass it?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Please, don't make my job any harder then it is." He said, looking in the rear view mirror.

As the clown drove Tsuyoshi wondered what this whole thing was about. But in time he will fine out and know that one's he does, his life will never be the same.

In the southern part of Japan, a summer camp was the only lively place for miles in the middle of the dense forest that encased it. It was an all girls camp for teenagers who didn't have anything better to do during their time while they were off from school. Estuko Shinmei waited in line as she watched her fellow female campers take there shot at the archery range near the lake. She was next but her friend Akane fumbled around trying to nock the arrow.

"Need help?" She asked leaning her head to Akane's shoulder.

"Would you?" She asked back tilting her head. Her glasses slipped down a bit from the movement as she smiled.

"Well first you need to know which hand will hold which. Are you right handed or left handed?"

"Left."

"Then you're going to get nowhere with the way your holding the bow and arrow." She took the arrow out of Akane's right hand and the bow out of her left and switched the two, "There you go. Now, try to nock."

"To what?" She asked, confused about the word 'nock'.

"Nock, you know. Here, let me show you." She held her friend's hands with her own and guided her arms to place the arrow on the bow string, although her friend being left handed made it a bit uncomfortable. "Ok, do you got it now?" Estuko asked, about to move her hands away.

"But, how do I aim this thing. Is there a sight like on a gun?"

"It's a bow silly! You really need to learn more about archery."

"Well excuse me miss I have a Archer Maiden as a sister."

"You make it sound like a good thing. You never wake up to: It's five o'clock! Now get dressed and down for breakfast in five minutes. Hup to!" Estuko placed her hands back onto Akane's. A lock of her long blonde hair draped over Akane's shoulder, making her feel closer then usual.

Akane laughed, "I guess I got it lucky, my mom just tells me to not be late or else she's have to put up with me in the house all day." Estuko drove her body closely onto Akane's back; making her blush a little from the two soft, developing appendages pressing against her.

"Are you ok Akane? You seem to be shaking." Estuko asked helping her extend her right arm to pull back the bow string with left hand.

"I'm just melons- I mean peachy. Uhh so is there any particular way to hold the tip of the arrow?"

"Just hold it the best way for yourself. Remember: It's all about finger placement." She said taking a step back to allow her friend to shoot for herself.

If only her mind wasn't everywhere else right now, Akane would had been able to focus on the matter at hand. Her mind filled with dirty thoughts from just Estuko's last sentence. "Damn these teenage horny hormones." She thought as she took aim and released the string from it's tension. It fly to the far left of the target, landing outside of the white near the border of the circle shaped hay target.

"I guess I'm not much of an archer." She said handing the bow to Estuko.

"Well, at left you got your book smarts." She said taking an arrow out of the ground near to the line they all waited in.

"I guess my brother influenced me as your sister did with you." She walked over to the side to give Estuko room.

"Oh yeah," Estuko said quickly taking aim and firing within seconds, "How is you're brother Akira?" She finished off with and handed the bow to the next girl.

"Well the last time he called he said that if he didn't get some stupid promotion then he'll kill everyone on his floor, but you know Akira: He's always a kidder. Honestly, I can barely tell when he's telling the truth with him anymore and what the hell?" Her mouth hung open in amazement, "You hit the bull's eye!"

"Yeah whoop-de-do," She said spinning her right index finger around, "I'm used to it." She walked away from the archery range towards the lake nearby as Akane followed her.

"I'd probably have the same reaction if I had gotten an 100% on a math quiz. We all got our unique quirks, right?"

"Right, but I just wished people didn't see my sister when they look at me." she climbed up some small steps to get on the small wooden boat dock on the lake's border.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she sat down on the edge and swung her feet to bush the water as she talked, every time in school or even on the street everyone only remembers what Hana did during the war. It's always: Wasn't it you're sister who shot down those Vindicators heading for Vladivostok. You must be proud to be her sister. Or maybe, hey you're the sister of the famous Archer Maiden that crippled the Soviet infantry in Oki Island. What about me? Even my teachers only talk about my sister when they're talking to me."

"I felt the same way when Akira was awarded the Metal of Honor by inventing the Speed Shoes for his fellow engineers. But his fame only lasted for a few weeks. I guess fame from technology isn't as interesting as someone engaging in the battlefield."

"I hate being a kid. I'm 16 emperor dammit! If this was a hundred years ago I would have already be a mother and not be looked at differently."

Akane laughed, "It's funny how the time period changes people's views on things. I bet that in a few decades the age to have children will be when you're 30 or older to have decency the way changes speed up now."

"I'm going to have my own adventure some day, gain my own honor. Then people will talk about me when they talk to her for a change. I hate how age restricts potential. I bet even you think about my sister, don't you Akane."

"Oh Emperor no!" She put her hand on Estuko's shoulder, "I always think of you Estuko. When I wake up, when I eat, even when I lay down to fall asleep."

Estuko giggled, "Thanks Akane. You always know how to make me feel better." She gave her friend a hug, But if only I could find a boyfriend. Every guy I talk just has to mention my sister when she isn't even around."

"You never know Estuko. That special someone could be just right under your nose."

"You could be right." She sighed, "You are a genius after all."

"I know what'll make you feel better, let's go for a swim," She said untying the small blue ribbons that held her straight pigtails in place.

"Yeah, alright girl. I'm game. Let's go change."

Later around midnight, Estuko had difficulty to get off the top bunk. As she descended herself her foot landed on something soft and squishy, unlike the floor like she was aiming for.

"Ow, my boob." Akane cried out in pain.

"Shhh," Estuko hushed, fearing that Akane would wake up the whole cabin, "Quite, I'm uhh, just going to the bathroom."

"Well watch were you're stepping, if you weighed any more the left one would have had to say goodbye to her twin." She yawned and turned on her side to fall back to sleep, still rubbing on her sore bosom.

Estuko searched around in the dim light from outside for her things in the trunk that nestled on the feet of the bunk bed. It took a bit of struggling, but Estuko managed to take most of her belongings and stuffed them into her backpack. On her way out she took a last good look before she closed the door, quietly.

She dearly hoped that Akane found the letter she left on top of the covers. The letter explaining how she feels about her life's calling. She needed to make a name for herself, to be in the news at the very least. The deferrable fame that people will remember from this time to the next. The tasked that pulled her felt greater then the gravity of the very planet she walked on. It was her destiny.

She did feel bad for her good friend though. She will miss their preferable memories. How they would always spend the time after school at the beach. How she would prefer American style food while Akane stayed with Japanese originated cuisine. How Akane was thoughtful enough to care for Estuko's well being and perform week breast cancer examinations. It would had been selfish of Estuko to ask Akane to follow her in her path to glory. Like how they have different quirks, they have different desires as well.

Step one of the escape was completed with flying colors. Now step to will involve risk. She needed a way of getting out of the camp grounds and the forest quickly and quietly. A car would be far out of the question since she didn't know how to drive or hot wire one. But then, the perfect idea was granted.

"A horse of course." She told herself, whispering. It was extravagant indeed, but what could go wrong? Besides, she know the perfect way of getting the horse back to the camp.

She snuck past the mess hall without any sign of a camp counselor in sight. Once she wrapped her body against the corner of the large wooden building she nearly had a huge circle of light touch her face. She quickly reeled herself back to hide behind the wall of the mess hall to avoid being seen. Carefully stealing a peek at what was causing the light she saw two tall searchlight towers keeping watch on the front entrance.

"What the next life is going on here?" She thought, "Did this used to be a prison camp?"

She started trailing the tower's beam when the light passed by a large metal plate bolted into the building's wall on the side facing the towers that read: **POW camp memorial. In honor of the Japanese placing the gaijin filth in there rightful place. **"It figures." she commented as she continued her careful advance. Once the light began to veer away from the mess halls lining, she hastily sprinted to the barn.

The horses were all kept in there stables, safe from the cold and any bad weather. She unhooked the lock on the barn doors. The doors were old and poorly finished, showing a lack of appreciation of the horse's and their obedience. The least they could do is give them a nice place to live if they're going to keep them away from the wild, or for the modern day equivalence: a horse trader.

The horse were all still awake, doing what horses normally do in their stables, resembling what guys do when they sit on a couch: not much. She found the door to the horse she rode earlier in the summer, Dandy. The chestnut coated kiso horse snorted as she neared, seeming a bit happy to see the human girl.

"Hey girl," She whispered to the horse, "Listen, I know that you can't understand me, but I'm planning on ditching this place and I'm going to need you're help. Are you in?"

The horse nodded it's head franticly, neighing wildly. It lifted it's front hooves to kick at the small door that trapped it inside it's tightly contained space. Estuko chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes. Oh right, be quite. We got to be sneaky, like the Shinobi."

The horse nodded in agreement, allowing the teenager to unlock the door and swing it open. "I can't go riding bare back… in any occasion. I'll be back, stay here." She pointed on the ground between her feet and walked over to the wall that held most of the riding equipment. She got a saddle and reigns to start out with so she could ride will control and comfort. She was about to straddle on the horse when a bright blinding light flashed into her eyes from the barn's entrance.

"Hold it right there camper." The male counselor ordered, holding his flashlight firmly on the teenager's eyes, "Just what were you planning with that horse?"

Estuko froze up. She felt as if her legs weren't under her any more, as if they had just ran off on there own. "_I have to do something_." She thought, _"If I don't follow through with my intentions, I will never feel complete. My entire life will continue into an infinite waste of time and effort as I carry on into a normal life style. I can not allow that to happen."_

"Look over there!" She shouted with her finger aiming behind the counselor, "A giant tentacle monster is attacking cabin 4!"

"Really? Oh, where's my camera?" He said franticly searching his pockets and shirt.

As he was distracted momentarily, Estuko managed to slide a foot into one of the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse's back, accidentally kicking it. The horse neighed loudly as it stood on it's hind legs, nearly throwing off Estuko who held the reins with one hand and her suitcase in the other. It galloped out of the barn, almost trampling the counselor.

"Giant tentacle monster? What the life of a worm was I thinking?" she said to herself, "Wait, why was he so interested in seeing it is the better question. I don't know who as more problems now." Estuko turned her head around and shouted at the man, "Don't worry, I'll bring her back!"

He blew his whistle with all his might, alerting the guards in the tower. The guards sounded an alarm and also triggered the spotlights to center on the run away camper who was still trying to get her other foot in the stirrup. She swayed the reins to the left to make the horse go the same direction, evading the mess hall, heading to the cabins. Campers gathered around the entrances, awakened from the loud alarm that seemed to wail forever.

"With the sound of it you'd think they would start shooting." Estuko said to herself.

Without delay two Mecha Tengus veered around opposite corners of cabin 7 and fired their kinetic burst auto cannons from the mounted gun on the hatch. Their Wave Force energy rounds covered the area around her and the horse with smoldering holes from the superheated slugs immense temperature. One hit and she will be suffering not only from the wound but from the round's remaining plasma burning through her body until there's nothing left.

"Prince of Japan!" She shouted as she lead the horse behind a cabin to cover them from the Tengus' rounds, "I gotta stop opening my big mouth."

It wasn't the first time she saw them though. On the first day of camp the Tengus were shown to everyone to let them know what they would have to face if they committed any crimes. They were kept in a garage in the back of the camp since the war started to protect the campers from an attack, either ground or air. They were never used, well, until now.

"I can't believe I forgot about those Mechas!" She yelled to herself as she turned a corner to return to the trail between the row of cabins, nearly running over a counselor that tried to grab her. Estuko looked back to see if the woman was ok, but when she turned back one of the Tengus had flaked around the cabin and was right in front of her, it's robotic tiger-like legs digging into the dirt sideways to stop it's momentum. The other Tengu stopped directly behind her, making her trapped between the two.

"Hochi Tochi!" Estuko yelled out as she pulled on the reins to stop the horse.

"It's over," The male pilot said over a loud speaker from his cockpit, "Return the horse to the barn and follow the counselor to the main office. This is your only warning."

"Umm, I'm not that good under pressure." She said looking around, "I'll let you decide Dandy, do you want to stay or leave?"

The Horse looked at her with her left eye and looked like it gave Estuko a sinister smile. She backed up a few steps and then exploded into a full gallop. The Mecha Tengu in front of them opened fire. As the auto cannons on the Tengu's sides spun it's six barrels the caseless rounds pass by the horse by a few inches because the limited arcs that the barrels were allowed to swing through were at their ends. As the slugs pierced through the Mecha Tengu on the opposite end, Dandy leaped over the top of the cockpit, clearing the jump to the back end of the Mech.

Estuko looked back to see the victim Tengu fill with green flames as the pilot ejected out before the flames crawled from it's wings to the center. She turned back to guide the horse into the forest as everyone was distracted by trying to help the injured pilot. They passed the lake as Estuko took a long look at the full moon's beautiful reflection in the water. She nearly forgot that she was on the edge of being turned into a smoldered corpses that would have to be scraped off the dirt into a trash can soon after.

They soon entered the forest, the two working together to dodge trees and low branches as they were on there way to… uhh yeah that was still to be determined by Estuko. A few meters in though, a dreaded noise sounded from behind them. Estuko saw the Mecha Tengu was now a Jet Tengu, the aerial form of the Mech. It was capable of speeds beyond the sound barrier like the Apollo and Mig fighter counterparts. Despite it's fragile construction, it was able to evade one on one fights by transforming back, unless the Tengu was better skilled or was fighting a badly damaged jet fighter.

The Jet Tengu was only going it's minimum speed, which was almost having it pass the horse who was trying it's best to avoid collisions. But for one reason or an other the Jet descended under the tree tops almost touching the forest floor. It weaved and veered around trees but it was going to fast to avoid them all. It's wing tip nicked a tree trunk, causing it to spin around a quarter way until it crashed sideways into another tree as it passed Estuko and Dandy.

"I hope he's ok," Estuko said seeing the Jet smoking from the engine behind the cockpit as they passed by. "And that there isn't anoth- NO! Learn your lesson Estuko!" She shouted at herself, fearful of a third Tengu appearing. Estuko took her time to give out a long sigh of relief, knowing the end of the chase was final as they were now far away from the camp. But where to now? The night was almost over and the sun was soon to come up.

"What day is it?" She asked herself, "Monday? Hana would have to go to work soon. My sister was used to waking up early thanks to her military experience. Aww damn it, even I can't go a day without mentioning her army life. But it would help to stop by the house to rest up a bit, and to eat some breakfast. Now uhh, which way to the city?"

It was daybreak when she entered the city limits, and it was around 7:00 when she go to her street. As she stopped the horse's movement, a driver in a car waiting for the light to turn green took a double take to make sure he was really seeing a girl riding a horse on the sidewalk. Estuko smiled nervously at him as he drove off, no even taking his eyes off her to see the light change. She hopped off the horse and tied the reins around the mailbox, to make sure Dandy doesn't run away.

"Now don't go anywhere girl, I'm just going to get some food for the trip and a plan for the trip. Oh, and some rest." She tried to walk without having her legs buckle from under her, "Man are my legs numb, I guess that's what happens when you got them spread open for a long time, huh." She laughed, but then groaned at how dirty it sounded. "I gotta stop doing that."

She forced her way up the small concrete stairs and opened the metal gate to enter her small suburban house. It wasn't much, but the two stories made it a lot bigger inside then it's outside appearance. The first thing she did after taking off her shoes was fly over the couch's back to land on its soft comfortable cushions. Her body felt fused to the furniture, not wanting to even lift a finger. She breathed a happy sigh as her eyes stayed shut, nearly drifting into pleasant sleep.

Suddenly the phone rang, startling the teenager out of her slumber. She groaned as she lugged herself to the phone that sat on table that hugged the staircase's left side. She remembered the rule: Always answer the phone and take a message. Any phone call for her sister Hana was more important then anything else to her. She learned herself over the table as she answered.

"Yeah, who's this," She asked with her voice a bit lower toned from the drowsiness.

"Is this Hana Shinmei?" The man asked.

"Yeah sure who's this?" She looked out the window next to the door, hoping the caller would get the joke.

"This is your Emperor Tatsu speaking."

"Yeah and I'm the queen of England." She remarked.

"I see you still have your wits Hana, you left yourself notable during the award ceremony when I awarded you with your Metal of Honor."

"_Crap," _Estuko thought, "_It's really the Emperor! What does he want with Hana?"_

"Uhh Emperor Tatsu, it is an honor to speak with you."

"No the honor is all mine. To speak to a warrior of Japan is to speak to the land itself. I need your aid in a top secret project Miss Shinmei, you will obey this order, but to follow through after the briefing is up to you. A car waiting outside your house will take you to your destination. Tell the driver the code: Take me to Disney Land, and he will allow you to enter. I will be waiting until you arrive."

"_This is it," _she thought, _"This is my life goal, what I've waited all my life for. This is my destiny._

She hung up and squealed with delight. She excitedly picked up her suitcase and ran up stairs to her room. She opened the door and turned on the lights to see that the floor of her room was covered with clothes, even a pair of pants hung from her ceiling fan. The trash bin near her desk , which was jumbled up with papers, was overflowing. The covers on her bed were barley even on the bed, all messed up and dirty.

"Huh, Hana cleaned up my room a bit…I think." She said after she threw the suitcase onto the bed.

She got out of her camp clothes and quickly put on a sleeveless white shirt and a purple mini skirt with flowers covering the front. After changing, she rushed outside to head into her own adventure. She didn't think about anything else. She even forgot to eat breakfast from all the excitement. Now her destiny was answered. But with answers comes new questions. The first: What was the project Emperor Tatsu spoke of?


	5. Chapter 4: Go Go Neo Samurai

**Author's note: The Steel Ronin in Uprising are bigger then an average tank and over 8 meters tall. Because of this I'll need to stat out that in this fan fiction they are reduced to about 7 feet. Also in the last author's note I said there were 5 characters being introduced and I only had 3. The other 2 are in this one so… yeah.**

The clown car stopped at the foot of a mountain in the dirt edge of the road. "All right," The driver said, "This is it." He unlocked the doors to allow Gonpachi to exit.

"Hey! What do you take me for? This isn't headquarters, it's the middle of freaking nowhere!" Gonpachi yelled.

"Please, calm down. You nearly exceed the weight limit as it is. You bouncing around the back isn't going to be any easier on the tires." The driver commented about Gopachi's tantrum.

"Is that an insult. Cause in that case, I just might sit on ya to teach you a lesson."

"Th-that won't be necessary sir." The driver nervously chuckled, "The HQ is in the mountain. Simple, right? Now please, just get out."

Gonpachi opened the door and got out, causing the back of the car to rise several inches.

"Don't get stuck in the door fat boy." The driver said as he rolled down his window.

"Kiss my ass!" Gonpachi yelled, shaking his fist at the driver.

"Sorry, if I did I'd gain four pounds from the butter alone." He criticized then sped off, making a dust trail behind the car.

"You bow legged clown. You better hope I don't find you cause if I do I'll skin you alive!" He let out a wheezing sigh, "Ahh, all this excitement is getting me hungry. I hope they have a snack table in the base."

He walked towards the base of the mountain's slope and looked around. It was covered with giant boulders with tree's dotted as his sight reached higher and higher. He noticed a strange looking rock with an intercom next to it and a camera jutting out of the rock above them. He walked up to the odd formation and stood in front of the intercom.

"State your name and your business," A female's voice asked, distorted from the intercom.

"My name is Gonpachi Ooiwa, former Tank Buster for the Rising Sun. I was sent her my the Emperor himself, Emperor Tatsu."

The voice on the other end squealed in delight, "Ooiwa? I am your biggest fan! You have to let me have an autograph. The pictures of you at the award ceremony alone are to die for!"

Gonpachi laughed as he patted his hand on the intercom, "Ok, ok. Just let me in and you'll get to meet your hero."

The rock in front of him rose up, revealing a well lit waiting room with a receptionist desk opposite of the entrance. He was confronted with a young girl who eagerly jumped on him with a pen and notepad in her hands.

"Gonpachi!" She screamed hysterically as she landed on him but was stopped by his massive gut. "Oh, you're a lot bigger then the last time I saw you." She said muffled.

Gonpachi laughed, "Stop, that tickles!" He pulled her out of his body fat and set her back on the ground, "Even though I'm not in the military anymore I still haven't lost my habits. A daily binge allows me to stay in perfect shape."

"Aren't you suppose to work out when you bulk up?"

"Uhh, yes. That was one of the few habits that I lost. I guess that was an important factor in my training huh." He laughed again, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, I still want your autograph, even if you are as wide as a semi."

"Hey! Easy on the insults little girl," He snapped, nearly scaring the girl to death. "Oh, sorry, I'm just a bit sensitive is all. Now, who am I making this out to." He took the pen and note pad.

"You can just put me as Tasty. That's what my friends call me."

Gonpachi stomach growled loudly, almost causing the rocks above to come loose. "Aww, you're making me hungry. Ok: To Tasty," He wrote down, "My 1 fan. Love, Gonpachi."

He handed the note pad back to her, making her fall down stiff with joy. "Thank you!" She yelled rolling on the ground with the note pad close to her chest, "I'll cherish this with all my heart!"

"So where do I go from here? Do I just wait in this room?" Gonpachi said as he entered. The inside was a full color of chrome with green lining webbed across the walls and ceiling. The bright lines pulsed with energy from the wave force that powered everything from the simplest lights to the energy draining defensive turrets that have been mostly scraped since the war ended.

"Oh," Tasty cleared her throat, "You can have a seat in one of those chairs," She said walking back to her desk, "The others should be here soon." The front room would have been an average waiting room for any first floor of a major corporate building if it wasn't for the fact that they were inside of a mountain.

"Others?" He asked, sitting in one of the metal cushioned chairs on the left side.

"Yes, your old friends. You are all called for a special mission. I'm sorry but that's all I was told. Daddy isn't much with gossip."

"Daddy!" Gonpachi exclaimed, nearly falling out of his chair, "You're the emperor's daughter?"

"Yeah, I guess you can call me spoiled." She laughed, tossing a hand through her short black hair.

Gonpachi laughed as well, "Ha ha, me too." He tossed a hand through his long unkempt green hair and picked out a marshmallow that was hiding under his hair, "Oh, that's where you were hiding!" He said with joy and gobbled it up.

As he ate he noticed something was odd about the place. The lack of security caught his full attention. "The place is rather empty for a base holding the Emperor and his daughter. Is there any security in this place or am I the only soldier here?"

Tasty giggled, "Don't worry, a fly can't get in without the cameras outside seeing. Also there are wave force cannons lining the mountain on all sides with anti air as well, all hiding within the trees. And to top it all off, there are Shinobi warriors inside every room."

"Really, then how come it's only you and me in here?"

"They wouldn't be well trained Shinobi if you could see them now would they?"

"You have a good point. I just hope there aren't any in the bathroom, for my sake and theirs. I love curry rice but it doesn't like me if you see what I mean."

"Loud and clear." An unseen voice said.

"Yeah, don't you worry." Another said.

A few minutes later a mordent volumed alarm sounded, awakening Gonpachi from his short power nap. "What is it!" He shouted, startled.

"At ease soldier, there's just someone at the door." She flipped on the intercom, "State your name and business."

"Only the greatest warrior to ever live, Tsuyoshi Kumano. I have arrived for important business matters with the Emperor himself!"

"Hey, it's Yoshi! I haven't seen him in ages!" Gonpachi said getting up to greet his old friend. "Come in here you crazy oaf."

Tsuyoshi quickly rolled under the rock once it rose a few inches above the ground and got ready for a fight, his fist at the ready.

"Hey Yoshi, remember me?" Gonpachi asked his arms spread wide open.

"Do I own you money?" He asked defensively, "Is this what this is all about?"

"No it's me, Gonpachi."

"Guppy? You look…well nourished."

"Come here and lets have a good old match while we wait for the others."

"Ok, I'm game. It's been a while that I've had any competition. I teach Shutokan now."

"You don't say, I guess this won't end with me finishing you off with one blow then."

"Begin!" Tsuyoshi yelled as he ran at Gonpachi at full speed. He was getting close to prepare for a good strike when his foot got caught on something invisible, making him slide on the slippery marble floor face first.

"Hey you Shinobi loafer! What's the big idea interfering?" Gonpachi shouted, shaking his fist.

"Sorry, my bad."

"Oww, I think I hurt my knee!" Tsuyoshi wailed in pain holding his leg.

"Oh right, the fight." Gonpachi said remembering what he was doing. He put a foot on Tsuyoshi's chest and counted down. "3...2...1...I win!" He raised his arms up to the ceiling.

"Hey, no fair! There was a third party." Tsuyoshi complained.

"It wasn't mentioned so it's allowed," Gonpachi laughed, "But I was right. I didn't take one hit this time. I took zero!"

"Just wait until next time," Tsuyoshi threatened, rubbing his leg as he stood up, "You won't have my clumsiness so easily portrayed."

"I thought I herd you two mules braying." a seductive voice jokingly insulted from the bathroom's entrance behind the two acquainted friends.

"That can't be coming from Suzu Matsuyama's mouth." Tsuyoshi said turning around. His eyes met with a well dressed, busty woman with long wavy pink hair. She wore an American style red dress that clung to her every curve. Her face looked extravagant thanks to her make-up, even though the sun glasses she wore covered her eyes.

"I never knew the day that I would see the two of you again. Well, without steel bars between us." She laughed as she took off her sunglasses, reveling purple eye shadow that made her eyes stand out even more.

"To think you were a shy tom boy at one time." Gonpachi said as she approached them, her high heels clicking on the marble floor.

"Guppy, you look…bigger." She said looking him over.

"I was going to say the same thing." He responded, staring at her chest, "I guess it pays to wait when you're a late bloomer."

"And Yoshi, you haven't changed a bit. Your still dressed as if your going to enter a Karate tournament."

"I was called over here after finishing a Shutokan class." He pointed a thumb at his chest proudly, "I'm the teacher."

"How quaint." She said taking out a pocket mirror and fixed up her make-up.

"How about you Suzu. Are you a fashion photographer? News camera lady? Family picture taker?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"No. I haven't touched a camera after I was a Rocket Angel in the war. Who knew, huh?" She shrugged her shoulders, taking a brief brake from applying lipstick as she spoke her last sentence.

"So what do you do then?" Gonpachi asked.

"Actress." She said, then evened out the lipstick by pushing her lips together.

"Actress? I thought you had stage fright." Tsuyoshi said remembering how she never wanted to be in any picture when she was a part of photography class.

"I had a fear of heights too," She put away the mirror into her little strapless purse that she held in her right hand, "I had a knack for piloting the flight suit once I agreed to try it out. The fun I had flying around was wonderful. Being able to go where I pleased, having the ability to fly to the clouds, over water. I was having such a good time that I forgot all about being afraid. Once that fear was over, my fear of being on camera simply vanished as well."

"Now all she has to do is let off on her bad attitude and she can get a job," Tsuyoshi whispered to Gonpachi.

"I heard that!" Suzu yelled, "Say that again and you'll get a pop in the chops!"

"Yeah see, things like that make you hard to work with." Tsuyoshi added, pointing his thumb at Suzu and nudging his elbow into Gonpachi's arm.

"That's it!" Suzu punched Tsuyoshi square in the cheek, making a red mark where her fist had landed.

Tsuyoshi rubbed his cheek and smiled, "Hey, with a little practice you can try out my class. I was expecting a lot less force from a girl." The last comment only made her punch him again in the same spot, making him fall to the ground.

"State your name and business." Tasty said once the alarm stopped. The three were so into there conversation that they didn't even notice it was on.

"Akira Asuka, previous Engineer for the Empire of the Rising Sun. I was summoned for an ill detailed appointment with Empire Tatsu."

"And Es- I mean Hana Shinmei," A girl's voice joined him, " She was a Archer Maiden. Wait! I-I mean I was Archer Maiden and I'm here for the same reason."

"Ahh, the rest of the gang is here." Gonpachi said happily.

"I'll tell daddy to get down here and talk to you all." Tasty said dialing on the phone.

The recently arrived friends entered the waiting room and approached the three standing near the left side of the reception desk. Estuko looked about the place as if she was in a new world, being amazed about every corner of the room. On the other hand, Akira didn't seem so intrigued.

"Hey Akira, how are you?" Tsuyoshi asked hugging his old friend.

"I've had better days and worst." He said hugging back then headed straight to a nearby chair and sat in it, keeping his head hung low.

"Bad day at the office?" Gonpachi asked sitting down next to him.

"Not entirely an endless spiral of torment…but close."

"So Hana," Tsuyoshi said turning his head away from Akira to look at her, "You look…the same."

"I do? I mean, I do. I'm just lucky I guess." She twirled her finger around her hair that hung on the right side of her head to make herself seem less nervous. In reality, see feared for the worst. It was a miracle Hana's friends were buying it. Maybe they really were idiots as Hana would complain.

"She's defiantly has changed a lot," Suzu said, crossing her arms, "Her clothes are as if she was in grade school. And she doesn't feel like the menace to society that she once was. It's as if she's someone entirely different all together."

Estuko nearly pulled her hair out from her finger getting tangled in the strands. "I've just learned my ways," she said as she struggled to get her finger untangled.

"I'm glad to see all of you here safe and sound." Empire Tatsu said getting out of the elevator behind the reception desk. He still kept his well known shaved head and bronze armor with a black robe under it. His father's sword was in it's scabbard, hanging on his side.

Everyone except Estuko got in a line before the emperor as if on cue. "Sir!" they shouted in unison while bowing. Estuko ran to the right side of the line and looked at the others to see that she was supposed to bow.

"Uhh, sir!" A loud clang echoed though the waiting room when her head collided with the metal desk in front of her. Her legs gave way, making her roll to the edge of the desk and fall on the ground.

"Hana!" Suzu cried running to Estuko. She kneeled next to her to hold her up to her body in her arms. "Hana, say something!"

"Bu-But I don't want to go to the zoo. Can't we just stay in the ocean?" Estuko said in a silly, dazed voice then giggled.

"Oh no, she's retarded!" Suzu shouted, "Damn you Japanese formalities, damn you to hell!"

"Do we believe in hell?" Tsuyoshi asked Gonpachi. He just shrugged.

"Wha-What happened?" Estuko said rubbing her forehead.

"Oh thank goodness your ok!" Suzu yelled hugging her.

"You slammed your head on the desk," Tsuyoshi said, "Any harder and your skull would of exploded like a watermelon. Ka-blamo!"

"Ahh, don't talk about food," Gonpachi complained, "Your making me hungry."

"By the looks of you stomach, you've eaten enough to feed a village already." Tsuyoshi said poking his belly.

"Hey," He said swatting his hand away, "I resent that!"

"If it was edible, you'd eat it too!" Tsuyoshi remarked with an obnoxious cackle.

"Well by the looks of your face, I'd say you need a few solid punches in the nose!" He said reeling back a fist.

"At ease soldiers," The emperor interrupted, "You can save your anger for combat."

"Combat?" Gonpachi questioned.

"Yeah," Tsuyoshi agreed, "By the way, what did you call us here for exactly?"

"Well if Hana is able to walk on her own without assistance, I will explain as we walk."

"I can walk," Estuko said using the same desk that nearly incapacitated her to aid her off the ground and upright. "see." She walked around, then started skipping. After a few meters she ended her demonstration with a little dance.

The Emperor laughed, "You act as if you've just been informed of world peace. Never have I seen a soldier prance with such joy and not get court marshaled. Anyway, let's get going, there's much to explain."

The group followed him to the elevator and packed into it. "Now," The emperor began once the doors closed, "I believe I should start with the back story, so you can understand why and how this is important. Near the last few battles of the war, most of Japan was in chaos. Cities were being destroyed, order was lost in our invading armies, then to top it off our home front was receding. It didn't take much to cause problems within our warriors' moral, leading to a rebellion."

"The Japanese-Chinese rebel forces, Setting Moon." Estuko said, "I learned about them in scho- I mean in training." She giggled nervously.

"That's right. It was a dishonor for any of our soldiers to decline an order from the Emperor."

"I'd rather die!" Tsuyoshi shouted.

"Ahh again with the shouting." The emperor said rubbing the inside of his ear, "As to I was saying there were little disobedience from our Japanese troops, but enough to get my father's attention. To set an example to the rest of our soldiers we had them found and executed. Then to add insult to the injury they were encased in a metal statue to be displayed in parks and courtyards nationwide to give everyone the message. It was a great plan to instill fear into deserters and to give respect and honor to the ones who have fallen in battle."

"Sorry to interrupt sir," Tsuyoshi said, "But how high are we going to go up? This elevator's been moving for quite some time now."

"We're not going up, we're going down." Tatsu said. Soon enough the doors opened to show a deep underground operations headquarters filled with digital screens of battle plans and a giant table with a scaled 3D map of the world that took up most of the middle of the large room.

"As I was saying," He continued, "The Setting moon was where the Uprising situation began. First it was the rebellion, then soon after three of our finest generals attempted to take my place as leader of the empire. The two events were so different, yet so similar. Now back to the statues I said before, they were in fact cybernetic warriors who weren't fully dead but left in a state of tranquility, a slumber that was only ended with the right electronic signal inputted into their circuits."

"And we used them to fight off the rebellions," Gonpachi said, "The enemy of our enemy is our friend, right?"

"Quite right. But before the Uprising, the act of 1971 forced any deserting soldier to be put under the Steel Ronin program."

"So by the end of the Uprising you were left with thousands of corpses and a law that you must commit to." Akira inputted.

"Yes, every one of the rebelling soldiers were transformed into the Steel Ronin, forever to life with their dishonor and be witness to their own demise. Luckily they were controlled by our scientist to avoid any complications though a central command network created by the man who was in change of the transformations."

They were all in the middle of the room now. The emperor leaned over the map, using his hands to support his weight.

"Who was in change of the transformations?" Estuko asked as they walked.

"Temujin Edogawa," Akira said, almost to himself.

"You know him?" Estuko asked.

"He was one of the top scientist in charge of nearly all of the military's technological advances, up until he disappeared.

"So," Suzu asked, "Where do we come in. We don't know anything about cyborgs or any of that sort."

"I need you all to help me… no, help us all." The five friends looked at each other as Tatsu spoke, "The device known as the Ronin Matrix has disappeared as did Temujin. Without the matrix the Steel Ronin can't be controlled by anyone. And without Temujin we can't create another matrix."

"So you what us to find the scientist and the matrix to get the robots under control, right?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Actually no, I wish it was that simple. It appears that the scientist disappeared by his own will. And to make it worse, he's now in Russia, expanding his cybernetic army."

"Then send a large force to take out the bastard." Suzu demanded, "Why don't you put some of those Shinobi into good use and let them take care of the situation."

"Suzu," Gonpachi sighed, "You'll forever talk before you think. If any Imperial forces are seen in Russia they will see it as an invasion, especially the Shinobi. The 15 factions that was the Soviet Union are fighting for complete dominance as we speak. Once the citizens hear of a faction defending them from a possible threat, they think they will get the upper hand and an increase in political support."

"He's right Suzu," Tatsu agreed.

"Wait a minute," Akira interrupted, "Let me get this straight. You want the five of us to fight against an army of Steel Ronin while our military finds a way to stop the attacks and/or find Temujin who is hiding out somewhere in Russia. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Tatsu said, "Now after you all know what the stakes are, I would like to know who is willing to participate."

"I'm all in." Tsuyoshi said pumped up, "There isn't any challenge that I'll ever decline. You can count on me!"

"I'm in too." Gonpachi followed, "It'll prove once and for all that I'm a better fighter then Yoshi will ever be."

"You're on!" Tsuyoshi beckoned.

"If it means I'll be in for the adventure of a life time, I'm definitely joining," Estuko said.

"Glad to hear the enthusiasm," Tatsu said, "How about you Akira, can we count on you?"

"I don't really have a choice," Akira said scratching the back of his head nervously.

"I thought I mentioned to you on the phone that you can choose to join or not to. I won't stop any of you from declining."

"I know that, it's just that I can't really go back to my old life."

"What's the matter Akira?" Tsuyoshi said wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "Did you get the pink slip?"

"Yeah…Let's go with that. So yes, I'm also in."

"I'm not." Suzu said, making the rest turn to look at her.

"Suzu," Tsuyoshi tried to persuade, "You can't be serious."

"I'm sorry everybody, but this is probably my only chance to life my dream of being in cinema. Who knows how long we'll be fighting until they find this scientist person." She put her sunglasses on, "I'll be going now, the first installment of Charlie's Rocket Angels is going to start filming soon and I need to remember my lines. Ciao darlings, and good luck to you guys." She headed back to the elevator, "It was nice seeing you guys again." She said while she waited for the elevator to get to her floor then once she entered she turned around and waved goodbye until the doors closed.

"Well I am very disappointed in her." Tsuyoshi pouted and crossed his arms.

"We should of raised her better." Gonpachi said crossing his arms as well.

"Well," Tatsu started, "In a positive note, I'm glad to see the majority of you have agreed to join in our project." Estuko raised her hand high in the air, "Uhh, yes. Do you have a question?"

"I was wondering, why did you pick the five of us? Couldn't you of had any other soldiers to help in the project and wear the suits."

"To be honest, I was wondering that myself," Gonpachi agreed.

"I find it very important that every factor is presented in any battle, yet so few are seen by the unaware mind. My father taught me nearly each and every important factor except one. He would always forget about the human factor. Since we are humans, we find it more plausible to work with a friend then with a complete stranger. I found it interesting that you five all attended the same school and were the best of friends. I was even more interested when you were all attending the award ceremony and were all awarded the metal of honor.

Tsuyoshi, you were the only one who reported back to headquarters after the satellite launch during the short skirmish near Krasna-45 and avoided a pointless battle to take place, saving the lives of most of our infantry around the area. Gonpachi, you single handedly crippled a Soviet advance by taking out most of their Apocalypse Tanks and Bull Frogs during the attack on Mt. Fuji. Though despite the lose we received during that battle and the…loss of my father, if it wasn't for you the Soviets would of continued into the heart of Japan, forcing us to surrender. Akira, you've developed countless gadgets to add in the war effort. From the speed shoes to the nano core, you deserve the metal of honor for if it wasn't for you, our army would be a decade behind itself. Hana, you left the local Allied jet fighters useless after you successfully destroyed enough to have them abort their possibly critical mission, allowing us to get rid of the Allied forces in Japan and regain control.

The fact that you four made it possible for Japan to continue thriving and that you all are good friends, it seemed more then practical to have you work together then any other soldiers."

Tsuyoshi laughed, "Gosh Emperor, the way you speak it's as if we're all about to be taken on a date soon."

"I wonder if I'll get tired of your big mouth Tsuyoshi. You're luck I have a sense of humor, I should warn you that not everyone will give you as much slack as I've been giving you. Now you will be issued you're weapons." Tatsu pressed a hidden button on the empty wall closest to them, flipping a segment of the wall to the right of it. An array of different weapons were set into precise shaped holes to hold them into the slanted wall. "You will all be issued with the same weapons you used during the war. I hope they fit your preferences."

The four soldiers approached the weapons racks to pick out their new gear.

"Hey," Tsuyoshi said picking out the MX type 2 kinetic carbine, "This is my old gun, silver shot! It has the burns, the scratches, and everything. Even the tip of the barrel is sawed off from when my squad was attacked by a Mirage Tank." He picked up the beam sword as well, "And my sword, it has the bottom grip all ripped up like I left mine."

"That's right. I searched the armories for the exact weapons you used to increase familiarity. I believe a soldier is more comfortable using a weapon they've used before instead of one that feels foreign."

Gonpachi picked up his old MX-19 plasma cannon (nicknamed Muramasa) and put on the wide brimmed hat connected to the cannon. "It still fits! Boy holding Mido Puncher really takes me back. I can't believe it still works even though it's more dented then my first car."

"I remember that car," Tsuyoshi said, "Whatever happened to it?"

"You crashed it." Gonpachi answered flatly.

"This was her bow," Estuko said grabbing the Sorazatsu Type II Great Bow, "I mean my bow. I guess I should give it a name," She gave it a little thought, "I'll call it Ki Cherry!"

"Sounds good Hana," Tsuyoshi complemented, making Estuko smile cheerfully while she wrapped the charged bracer-gauntlets around her wrist, having the Great Bow in her left hand turn on the wave force "string".

"Cool," Estuko said amazed.

"I'm glad you all like the idea of keeping the same tools."

"Damn right," Tsuyoshi exclaimed, "These are my babies."

"Then I hope you all will like the idea of keeping your old uniforms as well." He pressed a button under the first, flipping another segment of the same wall next to the part with the weapon rack, their uniforms that matched the color of their hair. The other main difference was that the secondary color was gold instead of silver.

Estuko looked at the unnaturally reviling uniform of the Archer Maiden, mostly focusing on the small metal bra and panties. "You don't expect me to wear that, do you?" She asked Tatsu.

"Sorry, it appears that you and Gonpachi have…developed since your time in the service. I will order for the correct adjustments today after this meeting." Tatsu answered a bit hesitantly, "Now gentlemen…and Hana, I hope you all take this position seriously. If everything goes well, it will create a foothold in designing an elite team of operatives. A group that can undertake any situation in any part of the globe. You will be known throughout history as the next special forces of the mighty Empire of the Rising Sun. You will be known as: The Neo Samurai."


	6. Ch 5: All is noisy on the Western Front

**Author's Note: To start, the longest Command and Conquer FanFic is 176,803 words long with 21 chapters inputted. If I wanted to, I can make Red Alert: Renegade more than that. Maybe even add another digit to make it in the millions of words. But that's just too long(That's what she said) and it wouldn't be fair to the readers to read all of that and take forever to get to the ending, especially when I'm planning a pretty good ending. The only hint I can give all of you is that the story starts getting more into the serious side once it reaches the 2/3 mark. Now what I wanted to talk about in this author's note was that this is where the Soviet side is introduced. It will have more action then the other two due to the civil war between several factions trying to take control of the Soviet Union. Plus this is where a new unit is introduced… kind of.**

The cold northern wind furiously howled outside of the South Western gulag's sleeping quarters. Timur Glavik stretched his arms out and yawned loudly, sitting in his cot. He looked at the snow flying sideways from outside the window next to him.

"Ahh, is beautiful Russian morning today!" He said cheerfully as he jumped out of bed, already fully dressed in his Conscript uniform. He walked past the room of empty cots and took his babushka from the hat rack and put it on his head as he walked out the room. But before he got too far, he walked back to the sleeping quarters backwards and picked up an ADK-45 from the gun rack, next to the hat rack.

He whistled the Russian national anthem as he strolled through the hallway, spinning his rifle from the strap. "Glavik!" His commanding officer shouted from behind him. He jumped in fear, letting go of the rifle's strap. It flew up in the air and landed on the concrete floor. Bullets spurted out every which way. The two ducked to avoid being hit by the hail of misfire.

"Glavik!" The officer repeated, "Why aren't you at your post?"

"What is this your talking. I'm on time, see." He pointed at the clock on the wall with a propaganda poster under it. It read 9:00 A.M.

"You idiot! That clock says nine. Your job starts at eight!"

"Sorry, that darn daylight savings time messed me up." Timur defended.

"That's it Glavik! No more excuses. One more screw up and I'll have you peeling cabbage for a week!" He growled then left, huffing angrily.

"Ha," Timur taunted, "I'll show him who'll mess up." He continued down the hallway but hurried back to pick up his assault rifle. "I'm going to need this today. It's Casual Execution Friday!

The brisk icy wind blew to worsen the gulagers' sentences, as well as stutter them. They worked on assembly lines and rock piles outside to carry out the desired change of the Soviet Union. The Gulag factories created military vehicles out of the scrap metal collected by the Grinder Tanks rummaging throughout Russia and Europe. The rock piles where for…umm…well know one really knows why the gulagers have to break rocks. It probably seemed productive to someone.

"Conscript Glavik," One of the other Conscripts shouted.

"Who me?" He stopped in mid stride from his patrolling march and looked at the calling Conscript. "No, just preventing any escapees. How can I help?"

"I need another guard to transport this line of gulagers. It's at an odd number and it's annoying the rest of us."

"Sure, no problem." Timur got into the empty spot between two other guards and strapped a shackle to his right leg.

The gulager gave him a dirty look, almost as dirty as the face it came from. "Careful pipsqueak." The giant man threatened in a deep voice, "Any brutality from you and I'll rip that leg right off."

"I'll remember that." He chuckled nervously. Once he was settled in and stood up, the line began to move. They marched across the camp as they headed for the train waiting for them. Soon enough they will be taken to another camp, a new one that was being made more north.

Out of nowhere, however, the emergency siren sounded, startling Timur, as well as the rest of the guards. Seconds later the sky above the front of the long line of gulagers was filled several V4 Rocket cluster bombs. Individual rockets broke up in the air and unleashed a rain of smaller missiles, devastating the guards and gulagers alike. Everyone franticly scurried to find cover while a large number of gulagers attempted to escape.

"Shoot them, don't let any of them get away!" An officer shouted. Several Conscripts nearby opened fire, the escaping gulagers falling as they were filled with gunfire.

Timur hid behind one of the machines to create tracks on tanks and another Conscript took cover as well. "What is happening? Who is attacking?" Timur shouted through the explosions and gunfire.

"It's the loyalist. I saw one of the tanks and it was lined with purple, it's definitely them."

"Ha, purple. Those loyalist sure know how to pick a funny color." A deep voice said next to them. It was the same prisoner that was next to him from the line.

"Shouldn't you be trying to escape?" Timur asked.

"I would if it wasn't for the chain on our legs." He said pointing on the shackle around his left leg. "Unless you would want me to take it off the painful way." He growled.

"No, that's fine, I like the company." He laughed, then he lifted his babushka and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his hand vibrating. "I-I-Is it hot out here or s-s-s-something?" He said chattering his teeth.

After a while the bombardment ended, followed by immense gunfire from outside the wall. Timur saw one of the Tesla Coil towers on the west side of the Gulag's wall charge up an enormous bolt, trailed by a booming zap. It hit something, because an explosion was clearly heard after. The ground began to shake gently under them, causing Timur's stomach to sink.

"Hammer Tanks, coming through the walls!" A Conscript shouted. Soon enough, Hammer Tanks crashed though the walls, the rubble falling on and around them. Loyalist soldiers poured in through the openings. The Gulag's sentry guns opened fire with their heavy machine guns, dropping the conscripts and teals troopers like flies. It was a good strategy to place them inside the walls instead of outside to stop any escaping gulagers quicker. Now they are being used to delay the inevitable.

"Come on," Timur ordered the soldier next to him, "We've got to move, now!" The three moved across the open snow, taking cover every possible chance. After the Tanks came the Stingrays, amphibious tesla boats that sprout six mechanical legs when land bound. Their twin tesla turrets spun about to zap any prison guards that came too close.

The Gulag's small force of Twinblade helicopters swooped in, adding to the gunfire. Their twin 12.7mm PKX machine guns blasted at the loyalist troops, receiving little to no retaliation. Some unleashed their Oduvanchik 60mm Rockets on the Hammer Tanks and Stingrays, reducing them to smoldering husks.

A tank crew near Timur attempted to get out before the ammunition hold blew up from the fire inside. All of them were out when Timur and the other Conscript got out of cover and opened fire. They were riddled with bullets before their dead bodies flew up in the air as the ammunition hold exploded, sending them pass Timur and the Gulager. "Let's go this way," The conscript next to them urged as he headed toward the east side of the Gulag. He took about three steps before a Stingray blasted him with a bolt of electricity. The remaining skeleton crumbled to the ground and turned to white dust and was carried away with the snow.

"I'm going this way." Timur said pointing the opposite direction, his face still expressing his shock.

"Wait," The gulager said, "I need a weapon too."

"Well your not getting mine, I need it to shoot things." He said holding the ADK close to his chest. "She's my little baby," He gave the gun a kiss, causing it to go off. He patted it gently and smiled after nearly jumping out of his shoes.

"Then give me a pistol."

"Only engineers and officers get pistols. I'm just a Conscript."

"Give me your gun or I'll rip your head off!" The gulager ordered impatiently.

"No! The only way your getting a weapon is if it falls out of the sky!" He said sarcastically.

Right after, a pistol fell into the gulager's hands from a fallen officer being blown up nearby. The gulager smiled evilly, "You were saying?"

"It still isn't necessary," Timur defended, "With those Twinblades and the defense towers, we will be victorious."

They waited for an opening and rushed across the field to the west side where the supply trucks were held. They just had to go around the main building and pass the checkpoint. The real problem was they had to cross an open field to get there. They headed for the main building first, trying to get as far away from the battle as possible. Unwelcomed gunfire followed them as well, the snow from the ground flying upwards where the bullets hit.

A few Loyalist Conscripts tried to scale the wall on the west side as they closed in, broadening the battlefield. Timur and the gulager opened fire on them while they ran, having the Conscripts fall several feet to hit the snow. A nearby Stingray spotted them, entering a pursuit against the two. It's mechanical legs moved furiously to get in range, priming it's twin tesla turrets. Timur tried shooting it, but the bullets left no affect. A barrage of tank rounds crumbled the outer wall, allowing more Loyalist soldiers to get inside the compound. It was a matter of time they were to be overrun.

As the Loyalist Conscripts and Tesla Troopers hurried in, a large group of gulag Sickles entered the fray, hopping over the barbwire fence separating the labor field from the rest of the gulag. One of them flew right over the corner of the main building, casting a shadow over Timur's head. The legs on the Sickle's left side pierced into the Stingray's hull, also breaking it's legs from under it. The Stingray fired it's tesla bolt, sending a surge of energy to the building's wall, barely missing Timur and the gulager.

The KDB-5 Sickles were mainly used to stop gulag riots, so while they're idle, they stayed on the other side of the gulag to be kept in maintenance. With their four mechanical all-terrain stilt-legs and their three 12.7mm PKX machine guns covering all sides, they were more then enough to take out Conscripts and Tesla Troopers.

As more Sickles hopped into the battle, a small explosion caught their attention as a rain of rockets from a V4 cluster bomb speared into the group of Twinblades, taking almost all of them. One of them managed to dodge the rockets while another had it's top rotors busted, having it spin out of control. Yet their real troubles were started with laughter.

A silver blur flew over the main building's rooftop, bullets trailing it's position. It wasn't a machine, but it definitely wasn't human neither. All he could tell was the new laughter filling the gulag was coming from it. A sinister wheeze of a cackle was carried though the wind, chilling him to the bone from the cold as well as the sound. From Timur's point of view it was hard to tell what it was, due to the snow and the distance hamper his vision. What he saw it do though was rather frightening.

The figure landed on the out of control Twinblade and ripped it's rotor blades clean off. It then kicked the helicopter downwards with a powerful enough force to send it down crashing. It used the force to propel itself to the other Twinblade's side, spinning with the rotor blades outward, slicing it in two. To add to the damage it threw the blades at the cockpit, most likely killing the pilots inside.

"My god," Timur said watching, "That…was awesome."

"Well have to get out of here," the gulager said heading for the fence nearby.

"Wait!" The chain tugged his leg from under him, having the gulager drag him through the snow. Timur continued to shout but the gunfire was too much.

"Quit dragging your heels Conscript!" The gulager turned back to yell at Timur. He stopped running when he saw Timur on the ground.

Timur got up and dusted the snow off of his coat. "Hey," He shouted, "If you do that again, I"

"You'll what?" The gulager snarled.

"I wouldn't appreciate it." He chuckled nervously. The gulager was about to pass the fence when Timur stopped him. "Wait don't!"

"Why?"

"The red and white bar is down and the guard isn't in the control box to raise it." He said pointing at the bar blocking the road for vehicles. The gulager looked and made an annoyed grunt. He walked between the bar and the control box. "I hope I don't get in trouble for this." Timur said following him.

The supply trucks were close up ahead. A few were parked near the checkpoint, near enough for the two to reach them in no time. Most of the trucks were in the loading dock to load and unload supplies for the gulag. They didn't try looking in the train for supplies because they were used for transporting gulagers or delivering tank parts manufactured in the gulag.

Timur peeked into one to see it full of ammo for ADK assault rifles and PKX machine guns. "Great grizzly!" He shouted excitedly, "There's enough ammo here of a squad in this truck alone!" He swung his head around the side to see the gulager looking through the open door, inspecting the cabin. "What are you doing? The ammo is on this end."

"Someone left the keys in there. Now is our chance to get as far away as possible."

"Get away? What is this nonsense?" Timur said confused. With the tesla coils still intact and the sickles on the loose, he was sure they could win.

"If we stay here," the gulager said, "we're dead. Face it kid, this battle is lost."

"Lost? Horse gymnastics! This battle is won and I am not willing to leave my comrades here to fight without me, nor am I letting you leave the premises gulager!"

"What will you do? Stop me?"

"If I must." He took the magazine out of the ADK-45 and pointed it randomly in the sky to fire off the bullet in the chamber. With the bullets out of the gun, he held it from the barrel like a baseball bat. "I may be small, but I have the ferocity of bear!"

He swing with all his might at the gulager's head. The gulager leaned back to dodge the swing and pulled his leg back, pulling on the short chain. The force took Timur's leg with it, having him fall on the snow covered road with a thud.

"Looks like I win." The gulager said picking him up and slinging him over a shoulder. With his free hand he picked up Timur's ADK as well. Getting in to the cabin, he threw Timur into the passenger seat, then tossed the gun to the floor near Timur's feet. Timur's body stopped moving once he touched the seat but his head kept going, making a loud smack as it bonked into the window.

The gulager twisted key to start the truck. He gave out a short chuckle as he put it in drive. Before he could drive away, he was alerted by a voice behind them.

"They're trying to get away, shoot them!" The loyalist soldier ordered.

The gulager stomped on the gas pedal, making the back tires toss snow all about. several soldiers blindly fired, hoping to hit something through the wall of flying snow. A Tesla

Trooper join them, shooting off a blot. It missed the truck by an inch, knocking down one of the trees pass the outer walls instead. The soldiers emptied out the last of their magazines and could do nothing but watch the truck speed away into the dense forest road.

"You idiot!" One of the soldiers said slapping another, "If you didn't shout like a yeti, we'd have caught them by surprise!"

The two soldiers continued to argue until it was cut short by a rotor blade taking off there heads. The Tesla troop fired a bolt at what killed them, but his suit would be sliced into like a can of beets with him in it.

It was eerily quiet when Timur awoke in the truck's cabin. He didn't hear any gunfire or see the gulag's main building either. The hood was popped in front of him, blocking his view of anything towards him. From the side window he saw nothing but trees outside. Once he sat up his head filled with pain. He felt the huge bump on the side of his head and rubbed it.

"You'd think a rock was in there." He said about the bump. He noticed the chain on the shackle was broken. Carefully, her got out of the truck while keeping an eye out for enemy soldiers. Almost forgetting, he went back to the cabin to get his gun. Once he swung around to the front, he saw the gulager working under the hood of the truck.

"What are you doing?" Timur said suddenly.

A jet of motor oil sprayed the gulager in the face. "The truck was hit badly," He answer angrily as he wiped his face off with a rag, "Damn bullets tore throw everything but the motor belt. The battery's leaking, the brake lines are separated. I'm wondering how we got even ten feet away from the camp."

"How far are we now?"

"Maybe fifteen miles. Hopefully we're far enough to be forgotten."

"Great now we have to walk fifteen miles to get you back to the gulag." He pointed his gun at the gulager, "Start walking."

"Are you an idiot? The gulag is lost. The Loyalist aren't going to attack anything unless they are 100% positive that victory will be ensured. How do you think we took most of Europe those few years back." He looked back at the truck, "I give up on you. Piece of junk."

"I may be an idiot, but I'm still a Conscript, and my job is to have every gulager serve their time until released or executed."

"Then execute me Conscript. Do your duty."

Timur closed his eyes. His finger slowly squeezed the trigger until a small click sounded.

"Ha, idiot." The gulager laughed.

Timur looked at the ADK to see the magazine missing. "Right, I knew that." He lied, "No matter, I'll just have to kill you with my bare hands!"

He tossed the gun to the edge of the road and lunged at the gulager, knocking the two of them to the dirt. He punched away, hoping for one to hit somewhere good. The gulager grabbed Timur's torso and threw him to the side like nothing. He got up and lifted Timur up by the coat and gave a few punches to the nose. Timur felt as if his face was going to give away and fall off.

"Give up?" The gulager asked, a bit of blood leaking from his busted lip.

"Not yet!" He kicked his leg out, having the chain whip forward. It struck the gulager's stomach with a burning force, making him release his grip and cringe in pain from the blow. Timur managed to land on one knee and from that tackled the gulager. The two collided with the truck's grill as Timur gave more punches to the chest. He rose his blows to the gulagers face but he caught Timur's fist with his hand. Using the other hand, he delivered a haymaker punch. The swing nearly made Timur's head spin clear around.

His legs weak and his face numb, nothing could stop the gulager from knocking Timur to the ground with a kick to the gut. The world seemed to spin without him, the trees twisting and turning. He heard the gulager approaching. Kicking his feet wildly, he attempted to defend himself, only exhausting him further. He meet with the gulager's eyes as the giant stood over him, an uncomforting smile breaking through the gulager's bleeding mouth.

"Fine," Timur mumbled with his numb mouth, "Finish me off. Once I'm gone, there will be nothing holding your freedom from you."

The gulager took the pistol from his belt. He took out the magazine and checked the ammo in it. He gave a pleased nod and retuned the magazine back into the grip. Timur braced himself for what was to come. He closed his eyes, not brave enough to look down a barrel of a gun that was about to kill him. He gave it a few seconds and was starting to get impatient.

"What's taking you so long? Did you forget where the trigger is?" He opened one eye to see the gulager reaching a hand out towards him, ready to pull him up. "What, you want to shoot me standing up?"

"No, we need to get moving soon. I can't let you lay there while the loyalist are searching for us. Especially when there's a fresh tire track leading straight to us."

Timur looked at him then back to his hand. He griped it with both of his and was lifted up to his feet. "I'm not at understanding. Why don't you get rid of me?"

"I admire your courage. Despite me being twice your size and a hardened war veteran you still fight without backing down, even to your last breathe. It kind of reminded me of a young, foolish, me." He made his smile more visible, "I never got your name Conscript."

"It's Timur." He dusted off the snow from his back and struggled to keep his balance. "At least I think it is."

"Afanasei Lebedev. Flak Trooper for four years and a gulager for the rest."

"Hopefully you don't get home sick." Timur laughed.

Engines were herd in the distance. Shortly after the cracking of wood followed. The two could see trees being knocked over from the direction of the gulag. Timur looked back at Afanasei to see him speeding to the back of the truck. He ran to catch up.

"What are you looking for?" He asked once he reached the rear bumper.

Afanasei rummaged through the ammunition crates. He opened one and chuckled happily, "I found one, now where's the other?" He searched more in the back and brought out a long wooden box hidden behind a large stack of crates. "Here we go, this is the ticket."

"What is it? I hope it'll get us as far away as possible, those tanks or whatever else they came with are getting closer." He herd a loud roar explode out in the distance, "And now they have bears."

"What, are you afraid of bears?" Afanasei teased.

"No, I just don't like being eaten alive by an armor plated beast. With the sharp teeth and the claws." He groaned loudly, "It's too horrible to even think about."

"Well you'll have to man up pipsqueak. We're fighting them off right here." He punched his fist through the wooden box and broke the wood off to take out a Vorona Steelshot flak cannon. "Man this takes me back." He looked back at Timur who was keeping an eye out for anything approaching. "Get over here." Afanasei ordered.

Timur hopped in the back and hunched over next to him. "Take these," Afanasei said giving him a couple of magnetic mines, "Fill your pockets with as many as you can. Also you'll need some magazines for you ADK. The crates are filled with them."

"You're not thinking of fighting them off, are you?"

"You said you herd a bear, right?"

"Right."

"Well the bears are train to sniff out anyone within a good sized area. Meaning, we'll have to distract them."

"Oh, is there meat in those crates as well?" He said rubbing his hands together.

"No you idiot, we're going to destroy some of the tanks. The smoke and the fire will confuse their noses. That reminds me, do you have a bottle of vodka?"

"Afanasei, I'm a Conscript on active duty. Of course I have vodka!" He pulled a bottle out of his coat and handed it to Afanasei, "That's like asking a farmer if he makes his own food."

"Good, hopefully this is flammable enough." Afanasei said taking out the motor oil covered rag he used earlier and stuffed it half way into the mouth of the bottle.

"What are you doing? That was perfectly good vodka!" Timur shouted.

"Keep your voice low." Afanasei snapped, "You'll use this as a Molotov Cocktail and burn down one of the trees near you. Maybe use a branch to lit up another if you can. Now, get all the supplies you can. It's going to be a long walk to the next town."

Timur packed the rest of the magnetic mines he could fit in his coat pockets and opened one of the ammunition crates to fill his magazine pouches. He lifted his pant legs and filled his socks with magazines as well. Afanasei looked away from his own scavenging to see Timur putting the last magazine in. "What?" Timur defended, "Don't worry, I'm wearing sock suspenders." Afanasei just shook his head and continued to collect ammunition.

"Are you good?" Afanasei asked, patting his pockets to ensure the ammunition was secured in there.

"I'm full. One more magazine and I'll have trouble keeping my arms on my sides."

"Good. Now, make sure you follow the plan perfectly. I'll take one side of the road and you'll keep low in the other side. When I throw the first magnetic mine on the first tank, you toss your's on the one behind it. Then me, then you, then me, then you, and so forth. Got it?"

"Got it. But what about the soldiers?"

"That's why you got a gun for." Afanasei said flatly, pointing to his ADK, "I'll be fine with a pistol."

"Right, you can count on me. But if we're using the mines, then why take that hulking flak cannon?"

"For the long term. You always need to be prepared for anything." The sound of trees falling grew nearer. The truck started shacking a little even. "They're almost here. Get in your spot."

The two jumped off the truck on their own sides and rushed into the woods. Afanasei ran up a small hill above the road while Timur had to slide down a short gully to hide below it. Timur got a magnetic mine ready in his had. As he waited for the tanks to come, his grip loosed. He tried to catch it but only managed to get the pin, having it activated. The mine flew to his gun at his side. He struggled to pry it loose, but the magnetic force was too strong for his weakened hands. The first tank stopped behind the truck with a couple of Loyalist Conscripts riding on the back. Several tanks followed through the road as others made their own path through the trees. They got off and headed straight for the truck. Once one of them got in, Timur managed to slide the magnetic mine off with the pin between his fingers. The mine flew into the cabin of the truck as Timur cursed.

The truck exploded in a fireball of destruction. The soldiers never had a chance. Suddenly, bullets started flying in every direction. Loyalist tried to take cover behind trees and on the ground as the powder in the ammunition from the back of the truck ignited, causing a hail of bullet spraying anywhere they pleased. A mine from Afanasei latched onto the first tank behind the truck, making a loud banging noise. It exploded right next to the fuel tanks, making the tank lunge forward a bit. Clouds of black smoke filled the air above the chaos as the other tanks charged forward.

Timur herd gunshots from up the hill as Loyalist troops climbed up it between the snow covered trees. A few Conscripts rushed to Timur's position, firing at his spot. He jumped behind a rock pile, having to sprint a little to reach it. More explosions filled their surroundings as Afanasei blew up several more tanks while Timur opened fire on the troops. Once he lifted his head to shoot from behind the rock, a bullet made contact with his left ear, take off part of the top outer lobe. Blood ran down the side of his head as he returned to cover.

"I'm going to miss that part of my ear," He said holding the side of his head, "But not as much as I'll miss you, my darling Irina." He looked down at the bottle of vodka, "I'll make sure you weren't spilt in vein."

He lit the rag with a lighter and gave it a kiss goodbye. After taking a short peek to see if the soldiers her shooting he tossed it to a tree that some were using as cover. The bottle shattered over the top branches and lit it up like a dried up Christmas tree. A few large branches burned through and fell onto the Loyalist soldiers below. They paddled out their coats and rolled in the snow to avoid horrendous burns. Other branches landed onto smaller trees, igniting them as well.

He got out of cover and crossed the road, opening fire on the troops as he sprinted. A few Tesla Troops in the mix fired off bolts of electricity, the bolts slicing clean through the desecrated tanks and the truck. A few landed near his feet as the others flew by him, causing the snow and dirt to fly up in the air where they landed. Timur somehow reached the hill and tried to climb it with one hand, the ADK filling his other. He got about half way when his feet slipped in the snow. He was sliding down when a bolt hit the spot where he just was. The small crater gave a good foot hold for when he tried to climb the hill again.

He made it to the top and took cover the first chance he had. His eyes searched the surrounding area for Afanasei. He couldn't see him anywhere. A clatter of footsteps could be felt through the ground from the road below him. He got to the edge of the hill and looked down. A War Bear was staring back at him, roaring angrily. His babushka flew back from the force of the roar as he fired wildly in the bears direction in a panic. The bear rushed up the hill, bullets sticking in or ricocheting off the armor plates and mask. He preyed for a bullet to hit the bears eye or mouth, but the bear was left unscathed as it reached the top.

He got up and tried to run but the bear managed to maul him to the ground. The only thing keeping the bear from tearing his face off was the ADK Timur held in it's mouth with all his might. Drool spilled onto his face; the hot, slimy liquid grossing the crap out of him. In the case he was in, it was only a matter of seconds that he will be done for.

As his arms let out the last ounce of strength before giving in, a small hunk of metal latched onto the bear's metal face mask. Timur saw the red light on the mine blink twice when out of nowhere he could here powerful footsteps lug through the snow near him. The bear tried to swat the mine off with it's claws, giving Timur enough room to breath as it stood up on it's hind legs. Soon enough, Afanasei came into Timur's vision, the tube-shaped flask cannon in his hands being held like a club. He swung the cannon upwards, hitting the bear square on the chin.

The bear fell backwards off of the hill, a small explosion of snow and armor plates flying about before it could land. There was defiantly nothing left of the bear after that. "Wow Afanasei, you really blew my mind with that move." Timur said. Afanasei bonked him on the head with the cannon. "Oww, what was that for?"

"Just in case the pun was intentional." He said helping Timur up to his feet. "Come on, I found a tunnel close by."

Afanasei led the way as Timur followed. But before they could get to far, Timur headed back to the edge of the hill quickly to pick up his ADK-45. They ran between the maze of trees, hoping none of the soldiers saw them leave the area. But against their wishes, a Hammer Tank was seen to their left. It fired off a round, the round landing at the base of a nearby tree. The tank was getting closer, faster then the two could run.

"Don't worry I can handle this." Timur said, taking a magnetic mine from his pocket. He dodged between trees, nearly being hit by another tank round. Once he got in throwing distance, he tossed the mine at the tank. Instead of it latching on, it bounce off the top.

"You idiot!" Afanasei shouted, "You forgot to pull the pin. Dammit, I'll handle this." He pushed Timur aside and set the flak cannon on his shoulder. He unfolded the shield to avoid any flak hitting his face when he begins firing. His hand squeezed on the trigger handle, unleashing a volley of steelshots, proximity fused rounds that covered a small area with shrapnel. The steelshots plowed through the Hammer Tank's front armor, exploding inside. The Hammer Tank was filled with shrapnel, killing the crew moments before setting the inside aflame.

The two kept on running as the tank exploded, leaving a loud boom to shake the forest floor. Sooner then later, they reached a frozen river. "Now we follow the river to the city, yes?" Timur asked Afanasei.

"No," He answered, "They will be able to see us easily. We'll have to take the sewer." He pointed to a large sewage pipe surrounded on all sides with concrete. The pipe was big enough for the two to walk in, but the filthy dark liquid pouring into the river was more then unsettling.

"Oh, no. I'm not walking in there. I'll get my coat dirty." Timur complained.

"Is your coat really that important?"

"Is good coat." Timur defended. Shouts and orders could be herd off in the near distance. "Ok, fine. But I'm taking a shower after this."

The two headed into the sewer drain, despite Timur being unhappy about his coat getting dirty. They left the forest to return to civilization, hoping that help will be there when needed. As an escaped convict and a defected Conscript, it will be harder to find then a Capitalist Russian. But even after the Tesla Troops, the Sting Rays, the Hammer Tanks, and the War Bears, when it really comes down to it: they were the least of their problems to come.


	7. Chapter 6: A Stinky Situation

They have already been trudging though the knee deep sewage for a good hour, but the sewer seemed to go on forever. Rats scurried on the narrow ledges and across small side streams attaching the city to the main sewer. The streams all ended with a short waterfall, having Timur and Afanasei try to avoid the splash area when they walked by. Stained bricks that held it all together began to crack and chip away from the stress given from the earth surrounding it. Afanasei didn't seem to be affected at all by the smell, but Timur was a different story.

"I'm starting to think being captured was a better idea." Timur complained though his babushka. He held it in front of his face to filter out the stench, but it only help in the slightest.

"Not with the loyalist being the captors." Afanasei assured, "The way you guys treated us was a picnic at the beach compared to what they have to offer."

Timur shuddered at the sheer thought of being treated worse then the way they ran the gulag. Then he began to wonder how, having his fear turn into confusion. While he thought, he groaned from every step. Afanasei heard him, the groans muffled through Timur's babushka.

"Stop groaning." He demanded, "It's distracting."

"I can't. The water is so icky."

Afanasei rolled his eyes, "You're a grown man, Conscript. Don't use such childish words."

"Fine. Then I'll say it's gross as crap!"

"It is crap."

"Don't remind me! How can you stand it?"

"I've lived in a gulag all my life, a little dirty water doesn't affect me. Try waking up to a corpse covered in flies next to your bed. And that's on a good day!"

"Eww, I even tucked my pants into my stockings and I can still feel it all seep through!"

"At least your wearing socks and boots. Try walking bare foot."

After a couple of minutes with pleasant silence, Timur broke it again. "I'm hungry." he said out loud, "Do you have any food on you?"

Afanasei stopped and turned around. He just gave him a cold stare for a moment and resumed walking.

"Boy it's cold in here," Timur held himself and shivered, "Aren't you cold?"

"I'm used to it."

"All this walking is making me sleepy. My face hurts for some reason." He rubbed his red cheek and moved his hand over to his ear, "Hey! Someone took part of my ear! I think it was one of these rats."

"You have the attention span of a fish." Afanasei grumbled.

"I'm a Conscript, what do you expect?"

"I expect you to stop talking so much."

"What do you want to do to pass the time then?"

"I don't care."

"Want to sing?"

"I don't sing."

"I do!" Timur started snapping his fingers rhythmically, "What's new pussy cat? Whoa, whoa whoa, whoa. What's new kitty cat-"

Afanasei's eye started twitching as Timur sang. He looked at the Nagant Revolver in his hand and got an idea. "Here," he said handing Timur his revolver, "Why don't you play Russian Roulette?"

"Okay!" He took the gun happily, "I've always wanted to win at this game. Wait, is it loaded?" He looked down the barrel and saw a round in the chamber. "Oh, it is!"

With a swift swipe on the cylinder, he gave it a good spin and pressed the barrel against his temple. Afanasei took a quick look back to see Timur about to pull the trigger. "What are you doing, are you crazy? You're going to waste my ammo!"

"Take it easy gulager, the chances of a bullet being in the top chamber is only one out of fourteen. That's only 30%. I bet you that it's an empty chamber, see." He pointed the gun randomly in front of him and pulled the trigger. The bullet fired out and ricocheted against the brick wall, landing into the sewage before Afanasei.

"Are you trying to shot my foot off?" Afanasei shouted, "I ought to blow your knee caps off right now and leave you here for the Loyalist to find your bloated corpse in the river!" Timur handed him the gun back, Afanasei snatching it furiously.

"I wonder why they attacked us." Timur said not caring, "Maybe they wanted to control it for building space. Or maybe they wanted gulag prisoners to fuel their Flak Trooper divisions."

"I know what they wanted. It was that _thing._"

"What thing?"

"The thing that devastated your Twinblades. It was kept somewhere on the grounds. All I know is that they called it Germes. The only reason I even know that is because I'm a light sleeper. Those so called scientist used us gulagers as test toys. By the looks of it, Germes never lost in battle. Every night some soldiers that were different from the gulag guards would come into our sleeping quarters and take someone, not before chloroforming them first. They carried the gulager out and about an hour later you could feel it. Not hear it, but feel the screams through the floor. The screams, always followed by laughter. I would wake up from nightmares just thinking about what happened during the night, just to wake up to the horrible reality."

"Okay, I'm back. Did you say something?"

"Back? Where did you go?"

"I had to go to the bathroom."

"What bathroom?"

"Uh hello! We're in a sewer, I just cut off the middle man."

Afanasei grabbed Timur by the collar, lifting his feet out of the sewage. "Is this because I didn't wash my hands?" Timur asked.

"I'll cut off you middle man if you screw around like that again." Afanasei threatened. He lowered Timur back to the floor and continued his march through the sewer.

"What did I do?" Timur asked himself out loud, then shrugged the question off and hurried to catch up with Afanasei, "Fine I'll just pee in my imaginary vodka bottle that I don't have and use it as a Molotov Cocktail!"

"Hey," Afanasei exclaimed, "shut up! Look!" He pointed to a short latter to the left side of the sewer and rushed to it. "I'm free!"

"Wait up! I'm the one with the gun, remember?"

Afanasei excitedly rubbed his hands together once he approached the iron bars used for steps as Timur struggled to get out of the sewage. His feet plopped onto the small brick ledge that kept the latter away from the water.

"Hey, what's up with your legs?" Afanasei asked pointing down to the Conscript's feet.

Timur looked down to see his pants filled with the raw wet slime they've been walking though for the pass hour and a half. On both legs he saw a split on the cloth right above the knee.

"Oh no! I must of ripped my pants at the knees when I slid into the rocks earlier."

"Whatever, lets go. Anywhere's better then in here."

Timur stopped Afanasei's progress, "Oh no you don't. I don't trust you enough yet after that little threat back there. I'm going first." he got ready to climb up, but one of his hands was holding the ADK, "Here hold this." He handed the assault rifle to Afanasei. He grasped onto the loops firmly and climbed up to the manhole covering. He got up to the top and looked to his left to see Afanasei face-to-face. "Hey, how did you get up here?"

"I didn't, those bars are for climbing up not down."

"Well excuse me Mr. Rocket Scientist!" He pushed on the covering with one hand. It lifted a few inches, allowing a break of sunlight to pass thorough the opening. But on the surface, people waiting at the intersection crossed the busy street. Their feet slammed down on the covering, nearly knocking Timur into the sewage.

"What's the hold up?" Afanasei asked impatiently.

Timur tried to open it again, this time with both hands. He moved his feet away from the steps to get extra footing. But even with that the people walking above him were too heavy to budge it, the covering getting more and more difficult to move after each of their steps.

"Let me do it pipsqueak." Afanasei ordered, pulling him away from the exit. After handing the ADK back to Timur and dropping his Flak Cannon onto the mostly clean ledge, he got a hand on the iron bar to be ready to leap out. With the other, he flung the manhole covering clean into the air, along with the man walking over it. It flipped over next to the manhole, the snowy sky plainly visible to the two. Afanasei picked up his Flak Cannon and tossed it outside. He then climbed out of the sewer with Timur trailing him closely behind.

"Air!" Timur shouted with joy as Afanasei closed the manhole and picked his Flak Cannon back up, "Sweet breath of Mother Russia! Come to me my invisible friend!" He breathed in deeply, giving pleased sighs with each breathe. "Finally we are out of that horrible place. Now to witness the beauty that is Russia."

The two came to witness a city of rubble. Nearly each building around them where totaled or missing the majority of their structure. The only buildings still standing were soon to burn down from the intense flames burning within them. Statues and monuments where nothing but empty granite stands covered with bullet holes and craters. The peasants that occupied the city crossed the streets franticly, fleeing from riot control Sickles and Conscripts firing into the crowds.

"Timur, what city are we in?" Afanasei asked.

"Let's see, we just passed the Volga River and we were heading East. I think we are in Stalingrad."

Instantly, a Sickle leaped over an abandoned video store and landed on a few cars. The metal crunched under its mechanical legs as the Sickle leaned forward to have the front turret take aim at Timur at point blank range. He pant leggings flew from his socks, the gallons of chunky brown sewage flowing on and around the road beneath him. "Crap." He squeaked out.

Afanasei took aim with his Flak Cannon, "Run Timur!"

The Sickle fired its PKX 12.7mm rounds as Timur ducted and dodged to avoid being hit. The rounds trailed his feet as he ran away from the Sickle to get into an open car on the side of the street. He closed the door behind him and scooted to the passenger seat, all while bullets shattered the glass windows and plowed though the metal frame. He fought with the passenger door; pulling on it first, then pushing. He fell to the sidewalk and hurried a narrow alleyway between a barber shop and a tailor.

With Afanasei on the opposite side of the Sickle he was about to fire when the left side turret fired upon him. He quickly rushed out of the line of fire, towards the Sickle. He used the sewage and snow as a lubricant to slid under the Sickle, using it's height against it to get beyond the turret's arc of fire. Before he fired he closed his eyes and put a finger in his right ear. With a clear shot of the Sickle's highly vulnerable underbelly, he let the flak fly straight into it's center.

The damage caused enough force to send each of the four legs flying into their own direction. The majority of the Sickle's hull was blasted into the air from the explosion. Timur peeked behind the barber shop to have one of the lower half of the legs fly towards him. The narrow stilt leg got caught on his coat and skewered into the tailor shop, taking him along with it. He smacked into the brick wall, his feet dangling in the air as he struggled to be freed from the part of the leg still outside with him.

Afanasei opened his eyes and pulled his finger out of his ear. His left ear had gone deaf a long time ago, and he intended to take care of the other as long as he wanted to hear still. He dropped the vertical Flak Cannon, reveling a small slit of soot around his eyes from the sight opening on the cannon's shield. Before he could relax, he quickly reached under his pants between his legs. "Oh, oh thank Father Frost they're all intact."

"Afanasei help me get down from here!" Timur cried out.

Afanasei groaned as he had to us the Flak Cannon for support to get off the ground. He headed to Timur, not taking the cannon with him. The weight would just make his body in a worse condition then it already is in. He stumbled over to Timur, Timur still trying to swing his body pass the smoking metal leg.

"Good, you're here," Timur said happily excited as Afanasei got near, "Please be careful with my coat. It's my favorite and-"

Afanasei pulled Timur down, tearing the coat's shoulder with a loud rip. The coat tore right off, having the back of the collar still stuck to the metal. Timur gave Afanasei an displeased glare. "Sorry, my hand slipped." Afanasei lied, giving a mischievous smirk.

More gunfire from the car packed streets as Conscripts found there way to Afanasei and Timur. Afanasei whipped out his revolver and opened fire as he headed farther into the alleyway. Timur did the same with his ADK-45, not even aiming as he ran with the gun firing wildly behind him. The Conscripts took cover behind the walls creating the alley as some rushing in between the buildings. Timur took down a few before the gun clicked empty. He swung around the end of the tailor shop to reload while Afanasei kept on running. A Conscript ran past Timur, giving him a perfect opportunity to shoot him from behind. He hopped over the fallen soldier and continued to fire wildly behind himself.

Timur was about to enter the sidewalk of the next block when he saw Afanasei enter a nearby gas station across the street. He used the last bit of his energy to sprint over to him. The bullets from the enemy's rifles desperately searched for their target as he ran pass the empty gas pumps and leapt into the convenient store. Bullets sparked against the gas pumps and shattered the large glass window of the store as he closed the door and took cover behind the wall next to it.

"Took you long enough," A deep, gruff voice said behind one of the aisles.

Timur huffed and wheezed for air, "I haven't ran this much since I was in middle school."

"Problem with bullies?" Afanasei mocked as he rummaged around the back.

"No," Timur explained as he walked to the back to Afanasei, "bear outbreak! I live in the country and the school was near a forest. Every day a bear would smell food during lunchtime and bam! It was every boy for himself." He saw Afanasei gathering bottles of the stores finest vodka, "What are you doing, looting? Hey booze! Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"

"Look." Afanasei said pointing the broken window. They saw dozens of Conscripts garrison a Burger Kong directly across the street from the gas station. The troops poured into the restaurant, keeping up the suppressing fire. The bullets continued to shred the store up, bags of chips and bottles exploding from the impact.

"What are we going to do?" Timur asked, keeping his head down.

"Way ahead of you." Afanasei said shaking a vodka bottle in front of Timur's face.

"Afanasei that's genius! We'll drink ourselves silly to die peacefully. That's using the old noggin." He tapped his head with a finger.

"Proves that you don't use your's. We're going to use these bottles as Molotov Cocktails."

"Oh, even better!" Timur agreed.

Afanasei motioned him to move to the side door leading to the garage. They crawled on the ground Once they got in they eased their worries of being shot or hit by shrapnel. Afanasei dropped the bottles he carried gentle as he crouched behind the wall of he garage's entrance. "I'll get the supplies to make the cocktails," Afanasei commanded, "You stay here and empty the bottles out. They need a flammable liquid to burn constantly this time. The one you used with alcohol only needed enough to set the tree on fire."

"Yes gulager." Timur saluted.

Afanasei took off and looked around the garage for rags. He found a few in a mechanic's supply cabinet and filled his pockets with them. He searched some more for a fuel to fill the bottles with. The gas pumps were off, and a death trap if he did try to turn them on. On spark and the whole place will be blown to smithereens.

On the other side of the car inside of the garage, a large red gas can was filled with petrol, a long clear hose hanging out of the car's gas tank. The body of the thief laid filled with bullet holes. Afanasei picked up the gas can with the hose hanging out, "I'd shake your hand if you weren't so dead. Oh, what the hell." He lifted the bodies limp arm and shook his hand, then hurried back to the other side of the garage.

"Almost done gulager," Timur said slurring, "Only a few more bottles." He put another bottle to his mouth and tilted his head back to glug the vodka down.

"You idiot, you don't drink it all. You were suppose to pour it on the ground!"

Timur popped the bottle out of his mouth and gasped, "I would never do that to vodka!"

He set the gas can down and started filling up a bottle. Once it was about half way full he put the hose into another bottle, ""Fine, at least fill the empty ones with petrol while I get them ready to use." He set a rag half way into the bottle and plugged the mouth with a cork to keep it in place.

Timur kept the vodka bottle in his mouth tilted up with his lower jaw as took the hose out of the other bottle and set into another. He took the one in his mouth out once it was empty and set it down next to him. He took another bottle without looking to empty it out into his mouth.

"No, Timur. That one has petrol!" Afanasei shouted, "Get that out of your mouth."

Timur already took a few gulps but spit whatever was in his mouth back into the bottle, "Oh, sorry." He said as he handed it to Afanasei.

After a few minutes of effort, they had around five Molotov Cocktails ready for use. Afanasei lit four of them so they can each use two. With both of them hold one in each hand, they ran out of the garage to get within throwing distance. Afanasei lobbed them straight at the Burger Kong, while Timur's cocktails flew off course. The conscripts in the restaurant centered their fire on the two as they scurried back behind the garage's wall.

The Molotovs Timur tossed landed on the road and on a car in the restaurant's parking lot. Luckily, Afanasei's landed right on the roof and into the doorway. Screams could be heard behind the growing flames. The ball of fire crawled up the doorframe and into the wallpaper, filling the Burger Kong with fire. Soldiers jumped out of the broken windows and ran out the doorway in flames.

Timur and Afanasei saw it as a chance to escape. Quickly got out of cover and headed into the street. They saw a man, a woman, and a young boy run out of a building, all heading to the same destination. A Conscript ran out of the building after them. He stopped and took aim.

"Hey!" Timur shouted. The Conscript looked at Timur and turned his body to fire. Without think, Timur shot from the hip, hitting the Conscript all around.

A balding man in his forties stopped and looked at the two. "Come on, before they find us!" He shouted urging them to follow the crowd.

"What's going on in this city? Why are they attacking civilians?" Timur asked as they caught up to the man.

"You don't know? The leader of Stalingrad has declared the city as it's own country. Some people started a riot, and now they're killing all of the citizens. Follow us, my family is heading for a place with resistance fighters."

"Is it far?" Timur asked.

"No, it's nearby. There's bound to be others but this one is close by."

The two followed the man's family down the streets to a three story tavern on the lower east side of Stalingrad. They were already in that area, so the run only took a few minutes. The tavern had the windows boarded up and barb wire surrounding the roof. The sandbags around windows increased it's fortification.

"Quickly!" A voice shouted from the tavern, "Get in!"

They group hurried in, the militia soldiers closing it up right away.

"More people are here Fedir." One of the guards told a man tending to the bar.

"Good, send them here." The man said. He was in his late fifties, with a long white bread and short white hair under a babushka. He had a ADK-45 strapped over his shoulder and pouches of ammo around his waist.

"I see you two are armed." He commented about Timur and Afanasei. "Planning a little vigilantly justice? Or are you here to tell us the revolt is over?"

"Neither," Afanasei answered, "We just stumbled upon some weapons and fought our way through.

Fedir sniffed the air and made a disgusted face, "What is that smell? Did you walk in the sewer?"

"Uh no," Timur interrupted, "We're plumbers. We were fixing a clog and it just had a mind of it's own."

"Get a nurse ready to tend to the mother." He ordered. "And open up two showers, right now. Any long and the walls will start to peel back."

A few men guarding the stairs helped the balding man's wife who had cuts and bruises scattered around her. The man was about to follow them but turned back to Timur. "Thank you kind sir. My family and I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"No problem." The young boy approached Timur and held out a closed hand. "Oh, do you want to say thank you too?"

The boy opened his hand to present Timur a large button. "Do you want me to sew it to your shirt?"

The father laughed, "No, he wants you to have it. It's his good luck charm."

"Oh, okay." Timur took it out of the boy's hand and smiled, "Thank you mister boy."

The boy smiled back and ran off to catch up with his mother.

"A button." Afanasei scoffed, "What can you buy with a button?"

"What do you mean?" Timur asked.

"You save their lives and instead of money or anything of value, you get a useless button."

"It's not useless, it's good luck. I think that's more than a ruble could get me."

Afanasei coughed out a laugh, "Ha, you might as we as believe in magic it you think luck exists."

"Gentlemen, your bath tubs are ready." A militia soldier said from the top of the stairs.

"Okay Mr. Rocket Scientist, what is real then?" Timur challenged as they got on the steps.

Afanasei looked down and let out a sigh, "The war. The war that this planet will never get out of."

Timur waited a little bit for Afanasei to continue. "Is that all?" He asked, expecting more explanation.

"You'll never get it." Afanasei said shaking his head, "Come on, we've got bathtubs that need a new color."


	8. Chapter 7: Lovely Brest

**Author's note: I'm sorry if this chapter feels half assed or not as good as it should be, but then again anything that I write isn't exactly note worthy (HA! See what I did there?). I've been working more on the Japanese plot and man oh man do I have a plot for them. I'm kind of excited almost since any fan of the series will definitely enjoy the Japanese plot line, even though the Japanese are the least liked of the factions [except for people that bum rush with sudden transports and engineers ;) ] I'm rewriting the beginning of the Allied plot since I just found out that Lucciana is nowhere near France. So check it out once this chapter is up.**

**Also a unit in this chapter will be changed drastically. The Javelin Soldier in the game is known to be an African American unit with olive jeans and a white undershirt. I must point out that the Javelin Soldier in my story will have the character model of the Guardian GI from Yuri's Revenge©. The undershirt and the plastic helmet that couldn't even deflect a wad of paper from the original Javelin Soldier seems to lazy and almost racist if you ask me. You give a Peacekeeper heavy armor and a freaking riot shield. But to the black guy that has to fight tanks and helicopters? Nothing but a thin layer of clothing and a best of luck. They might as well put the chains around the Javelin Soldier instead of the Flak Trooper! I swear, the cast of Red Alert 3 is more whiter then a KKK meeting in Siberia.**

Tanya and Antonio entered the park around the bottom of Brest as Tanya counted the bounty. The man that gave them the money was non other than the mayor of the city himself. Now with the main organized crime operation gone, the mayor was allowed to breathe easier and was one more step closer to having his city back. But that didn't stop anyone from making any trouble in the neighborhood. Everywhere you turned there was still looting, even from the people that just stole it. There was gun fire whispering all around the city, like crickets in the tall grass.

"So how much did we get?" Antonio asked.

"1000 credits." Tanya groaned. "You know for a rich bastard giving a bounty, it seems a bit stingy." She handed the money to Antonio.

"You sound like a spoiled American." He said putting the money in an ammo pouch on his front armor, " I'm glad we got even that much. I- oh crap skid!"

"What is it?"

"We're in the park…at night."

"So? The only park you need to worry about at night is Central Park, and that's all the way in New York."

"This is bad, anyone that goes in the park at night is found dead the next day. Some say it's haunted."

"I say it's a normal place like any other. So the sun is down, big deal. I'm an Elite Commando and you're a Capitan of the Allied Nations. Who is going to mess with us?"

A rustling in the bushes beside the path caught Antonio's attention, "What was that?"

"It was probably a squirrel, or a hobo even."

A sound like metal clicking on concrete echo though the park as they walked. "Tanya would you stop making that noise?" Antonio ordered peeved, "It's making me nervous."

"Huh, I thought it was going to be silent."

"Why would you think tapping metal on something would be silent?"

"What metal?"

"So the noise is not coming from you?"

"No, I think it's behind us…" They stopped walking.

"I'm not looking back." Antonio said, sweating.

"Why not?"

"It might be a hobo, then we would have to give him money and if we don't then a few minutes later we will feel bad and-"

"Just shut up and turn around."

"Okay, we'll both turn around at the same time."

Tanya readied her Black Buzzard pistols while Antonio pumped his Gummond-8 shogun. "On turn. Turn!"

The two turned around at got ready for what was behind them. With the only light coming from the light posts nearby, they saw the one making the noise. The noise maker gave out a loud robotic shriek as it's fangs clanked together.

"It's a Terror Drone." Antonio said puzzled. Tanya released a high pitched scream as she covered her eyes with her pistols. "You'll pay for making the Allied Commando react like a French soldier you metal waste."

Antonio shot off a round, but the Terror Drone jumped out of the way to the side. It pounced at them, it's slim legs wide apart. He quickly dropped his shotgun aside and whipped out his riot shield. The Drone and the shield made contact as he swung it to the right, bashing the Terror Drone square in the jaw. It flew upside down onto the grass with it's four legs franticly searching the air for ground. He picked up his shotgun and pumped it.

The gun was held with one hand, touching the Drone's outer skin. "Good night Charlotte." He didn't miss this time, sending buckshot straight into the Terror Drone's main hull. Metal springs and wires flew up from the blast force. He smiled with satisfaction until some quiet whimpers caught changed his mood.

Tanya was still shaking with her hands over her eyes and her guns on the concrete pathway. "Are you okay?" Antonio asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Tanya peeked between her fingers, "Is it dead?"

"More dead then the Nazi party."

Tanya's arms lunged for Antonio's torso. She held him close, nearly in tears, "God I hate those things! The Soviets just had to base them off of spiders. They couldn't of been robot kittens or something cuddly."

Antonio felt something wet absorb into his pants, "Did you wet yourself?"

Tanya looked around with her eyes, "Maybe…"

"Man, you weren't kidding when you said you hate spiders."

"I can't stand those things. Those beady eyes, and their creepy legs, and their dripping fangs, and-and…and you smell rancid!" She pushed away, coughing and groaning in disgust, "I mean I didn't notice it much before but getting next to you is just…wow! Ugh, you smell like cooked mushrooms and flaming garbage!"

Antonio sighed, "And this is coming from the one that peed her pants."

"Okay, I'm sorry." Tanya apologized, "But your taking a bath when we get to Charlie's place, no excuses."

The two resumed their walk to pass the rest of the park. As they walked, the trees a few yards away gave a low red hue. The branches filled with individual red lights as their new pursuers are activated, and ready to hunt.

"So you're positive that Charlie isn't in any way connected with the base in this city." Tanya asked as the two crossed a street.

"Of course not. He was stuck in Brest like I am but a few months ago he won the lottery."

"Oh, he lucked out on a technicality?"

"No, I mean he won the lottery. Is my accent really that bad?"

"A little."

"Whatever, but as I was saying, he got so much money that he doesn't need to collect bounties. He just flipped everyone the bird and got himself a little apartment next to the beach. And that is where we're headed."

Walking near the shore was a strange feeling in the city. For the situation, they were forced to be alert and ready to fight anyone that can into view. But the smell of the ocean water and the feeling of the cool breeze made them relaxed. It was the eye of the storm for the two, the vortex of war spiraling around them, trapping everyone within. Once Tanya saw the breach, she sprinted happily to the guard rail separating the sand from the city.

"The beach looks beautiful at night." She said leaning over the guard rail with her arms crossed.

"It must be another average sight for Charlie since he lives here."

"I've always wanted to- ugh never mind. You'll just laugh."

"Wanted to what?"

"It's nothing."

"Come on, you wouldn't of said anything if it was just nothing."

"Okay. I've always wanted to be a mermaid."

Antonio tried to hold back a snicker, but the silliness took him over. The ocean air filled with his laughter as he wildly banged on the railing. "A mermaid! That hilarious!"

"Damn it Tony! I trust you with a secret and you laugh in my face. That's why I didn't want to tell you."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Hold on." He pulled his lips in to stop his up roar. It began to subside, with a few chuckles escaping here and there. He had to flex his mouth to get rid of his smile. "All right, I'm done."

"Good," She bashed him on the top on the head with her fist, "That's for hurting my feelings!" She calmed down, "Now as I was saying, I've always loved the sea. The water all around me. Being able to go everywhere in your watery world. That freedom is worth not having legs. Plus mermaids don't have to breath."

"You don't like breathing?"

"I'd rather breath underwater. Away from everything this world has become so suddenly. That's why I love being around the dolphins the Allies have trained. Every chance I get, I swim with them until my arms and legs give out. And I always feel sad when I can't go under the water with them."

"I would never picture you as someone so deep. This isn't anything like you. Are you sure you're Tanya?"

She laughed, "I'm sure Tony. I guess some things are bet kept to yourself. We better get going now. Charlie probably wants to sleep tonight."

"Don't worry, his apartment is nearby." Antonio and Tanya began walking again, heading to the right side of the beach. Tanya gave the ocean one last glace and then looked straight ahead.

The apartment complex was one large building with about a hundred rooms. Charlie's one room apartment was conveniently located right in the front on the second floor. The complex was nothing like the rest of the city. Out here the city seemed untouched, most likely because the battles were fought on the west side and this side was on the east.

"Okay," Antonio said as they got close to the door to Charlie's place, "I have to tell you something about Charlie that you must know."

"What is it?"

"He's black."

"What? How is that a problem?"

"I thought you Americans are all racist bastards."

"Who told you that?"

"Charlie. That's why he hated the base. He would always talk about someone named Theman was keeping him down."

"No, not every American is racist, especially since we got the black panthers now. The only real racist you'll find are from the south."

"Are you from the south?"

Tanya looked around with her eyes, "…Yes, but I'm not racist."

"Okay, good." Antonio knocked on the door. They waited for a few seconds until the door flung open.

The man that opened the door was a tall African American with a large fit build. "Quick get in!" Charlie said grabbing the two inside.

Antonio stumbled inside, "Whoa Charlie, what's going on?"

"Only two people knock on the door at night. You and the police."

"Charlie you live in France not the Bronx."

"France owned parts of Africa in the past, what's stopping them from deporting me there."

"As usual, you're paranoia."

"You mean paranoid." Tanya corrected.

"Oh yeah, Charlie, this is Tanya."

"What's up coach." Charlie greeted.

"Coach?" Tanya questioned.

"I think it's short for Commando." Antonio answered.

"Wait a minute, are you _the _Tanya?"

"Yeah that's me."

Charlie gave a big white smile, "Oh man, I had a feeling it was you. First I win the lottery and now Tanya is staying at my house. It is an honor to be in your presence." He kneeled down before her.

"Easy there dolomite," She patted his shoulder, "you're getting me hot headed."

"Charlie's a great guy. He's the one that thought me English."

"I can teach you a few things if you like Ms. Adams."

"No thanks, I like to learn things on my own."

A German Sheppard rushed in from the kitchen and tackled Tanya to the ground. The dog licked her face, making Tanya giggle.

"Yeah, that's Lela." Antonio announced, "I'm still thankful for Charlie taking care of her."

"I always tell you man, it's no problem."

"She's friendly, isn't she?" Tanya said, enjoying the licking from Lela.

"Actually she's usually shy, you must be the kind of person she likes."

"She also likes to eat garbage. Which is what she just got finished doing right before you guys got here." Charlie added.

Tanya pushed the dog off her and started spitting, "Eww! Why did you let her lick my face if she was eating garbage?"

"You said you like to learn on your own." Charlie answered as Lela retreated to the bedroom.

"Well," Antonio interrupted, "It's getting really late. What time is it?" He looked behind Charlie at the clock on the wall, "10:00 p.m. Wow, what a day. Listen Charlie we've had a long day, you know, fighting gang members and being attacked by a terror drone. I'm pooped."

"Now that you mention it Tony," Tanya said yawning, "I'm pooped too. Hey, speaking of poop, where's your bathroom."

"It's the door on the left, the other one is the bed room." Charlie said pointing behind himself.

"Thanks, I'll be out real quick. I gotta open the flood gate." She said walking to the bathroom hastily.

"What's she doing?" Antonio asked.

"She's taking a piss."

"Oh."

"Say Ant, are you and her… you know?"

"Oh, no. She's from America."

"No, I mean are you two… getting it on."

"You mean like clothes, cause I'm happy with the clothes I got."

"Okay, I guess I just have to flat out say it." He got close to Antonio and whispered in his ear. Antonio face became a puzzled look.

"I don't know that word."

"Let's see, I think I know the word in Spanish. Is it-" He got up to Antonio's ear again and whispered. Antonio's eyes practically popped out of his skull.

"Charlie! How could you even think of me and her doing that?"

"So she's single then?"

"Yeah. I mean no. I mean, I don't know. Go ask her. But you leave me out of it. Wow, I still can't believe you Charlie." Antonio sat down on the couch to rest his feet.

Charlie leaned over the right arm of the couch, "Oh come on Anty, you make me sound like a terrible person. I just want what's natural. By the way, do you got the money?"

Antonio whipped out the credits from his front ammo pouch and tossed it to Charlie. He caught it with his left hand and examined it. It looked real, so he gave it the final test of inspection and bit down on the end and bent the wad of paper with his teeth. The paper stayed bent and he nodded in acceptance. "Okay, it's good."

"Do you really have to do that every time I give you money?"

"Man that was a doozy." Tanya said getting out of the bathroom, "Thought I sprung a leak there for a second."

"Hey Charlie, do you have a washing machine in this place?"

"Naw, to wash clothes here you need to use the coin laundry in the back of the place. Just take your dirty clothes and put them in a basket, and I'll take them in the morning."

"Thanks Charlie," Tanya said kindly, "but I think Antonio and me can do our laundry. We are living here for a while after all."

"Oh no, I insist."

"You were right Antonio, he really is a great guy."

Antonio rolled his eyes in disgust. "Come on Tanya, let's get out of our clothes and into some that aren't covered in every stain imaginable."

"You can use the bedroom to change. Just pick any clothes that stay on, I don't care." Charlie said guiding them to the other room.

"I'll go first." Tanya said getting into the room.

"I'll help." Charlie said following her, but had the door slam onto his face. "Or maybe not." He kneeled down to put an eye to the keyhole.

"What are you doing?" Antonio asked.

"Getting blessed by god himself!" He giggled foolishly.

The door flung open with a pistol flying to Charlie's forehead. "Peek and die." Tanya growled from behind the door. Charlie backed away and Tanya's arm receded back into the room. Once the tip was completely behind the door, it slammed shut.

"Do you still want her?" Antonio asked.

"Actually a little more now, yeah.

After waiting for a minute or two, Tanya finally came out of the room wearing a white undershirt and olive green boxers.

"Hey, you wear the same sized shirts I do." Tanya said pleased with the shirt's comfortableness.

"It looks better on you." Charlie said sweetly.

"Your turn Don Quixote." She said aiming a thumb back to the bedroom.

While Antonio was changing, Charlie decided to feast his eyes. He stared at Tanya's face when she wasn't looking and examined every bit of her features. Tanya felt someone looking at her and turned to Charlie, who was now averting his attention to the ceiling. She went back to observing the apartment, which allowed Charlie to stare under her neck. This time when she looked at him he had his head tilted as he scratched his face.

Antonio came out a lot faster, wearing an oversized T-shirt and pajamas.

"My goodness you've shrunk!" Charlie joked.

"Very funny, the only reason your shirts fit Tanya is because she has help."

"Trust me these girls bring more trouble then good," Tanya said pointing at her chest with both hands.

"Let's get some shut eye now, shall we?"

"I agree," Tanya said giving out a loud yawn, "I'm about to keel over.

"Wait," Antonio said, "Where are we going to sleep? There's only one bedroom."

"I don't mind us all being in the same bed." Charlie stated out.

"Well I do," Tanya countered.

"So how are we going to do this?" Antonio asked.

"I get the bed and you to share the couch."

"Hey, why do you get the bed?"

"Because I'm a woman and should be treated as such. Especially when it involves where I sleep. See you in the morning boys. Good night." She left the living room and closed the door behind her to the bedroom. A few seconds in she opened the door and popped her head out, "By the way I'm a light sleeper, so don't try anything." She closed the door, but opened it back up a little to pull her arm out and jiggle the pistol a bit; then closed the door again.

"She scares me sometimes." Antonio confessed. The two took out the couch cushions and began pulling out the bed within.

"I don't know what you're talking about, she seems more awesome the more I know here."

"I'm just warning you Charlie."

"What you should of warned me about is your stench." Charlie said waving his hand in front of his nose, "Damn man, you smell like a sweat shop in Africa."

"Fine, I guess I better take a shower then." Antonio said heading to the bathroom.

"Hurry up, before by plants all start wilting and all."

As Antonio showered, Charlie got the blankets ready and the pillows from the closet near the kitchen. He got a set for Antonio and a set for himself. Also extra pillows to put between each other. Before heading to bed, he decided to check up on Tanya.

She was comfortably laying in Charlie's bed, his soft silky covers over here. Her legs ached and her back hurt, but all of that just faded away thanks to the pleasant bed of Charlie's. Her eyes were ready to close for good when a knock exploded from the other side of the door.

"Are you sleeping yet?" Charlie asked through the door.

She rolled here eyes. "No."

"Okay, good night."

"Good night." She turned to sleep on her good side. She was just an inch away from dream land when Charlie's voice boomed from the other side again.

"Do you want anything from the kitchen?"

"No, Charlie, thank you." She tried not to be rude.

"Okay, good night."

"Good night Charlie." She closed her eyes, then opened them in a flash; expecting Charlie to wake her up again. But he was away from the door. She returned her attention to sweet sleep once more and closed her eyes.

Antonio saw Charlie head for the couch as he got out of the bathroom mostly dry. He had his pajamas back on, but his hair was still a bit wet. Getting close to the bedroom door , he put his ear against it and knocked.

"Hey Tanya, are you asleep?"

She didn't answer, instead a loud gunshot rang out. The pistol round flew through the door and past the front of his face. His eyes bugged out from the fright endured from nearly being hit by the bullet.

"Okay," His voice cracked, "Good night."

He rubbed his hair with the towel around his neck to dry it out some more as he walked over to the couch. He saw Charlie resting comfortably with the pillows dividing their sides at Charlie's feet.

"What are those pillows doing there?" He asked.

"They're separating us. I don't want to wake up to your beard touching my lips."

"Well I don't want my head being crushed by your giant moose feet." Antonio said as he took the pillows away from the bottom of the bed and laid them next to Charlie's left side. He hopped in and got under his own covers. "Ahh, man even this couch bed is better then an army cot."

"The ground is better then those army cots."

"Hey, remember that time we made a fort out of chairs and blankets."

It was a while back but Charlie remembered full and well. "I remembered you put up a **No Girls Allowed **sign next to it."

"Then mean old Sergeant butt hole had to knock it down and gave us laundry duty."

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Charlie said, giving off one of his big smiles.

"Yeah, let's kill that bastard right now! I'll get my shotgun." He was about to get out of bed when Charlie stopped him.

"No man, I mean let's make another chair fort. And this time the **No Girls Allowed **sign will make sense. Tomorrow first thing in the morning."

Antonio let out a hushed giggle, "This will be perfect, Tanya will get up tomorrow and see the sign on our chair fort. And she'll asked if she can get in and we'll say 'Read the sign.' The look on her face will be priceless! We better get some sleep if we're going to have this work."

"Okay, good night." Charlie said, then instantly passed out.

"Wow, that's what I call concentration. Good night." Antonio closed his eyes, anxious for tomorrow morning.

The night was silent, as everyone in the place fell into a peaceful slumber. With their minds in there dreams and their bodies in safety, nothing will trouble them until the next day.


	9. Chapter 8: Four's Company also

**Author's Note: I have a job now, so the writing time will be extended between chapters. I'm also sorry for this one being so short comepared to the rest. Also on a lighter note(see what I did there) I have a poll out on my profile about the Allied anti-tank troops throughout the wars. Go ahead and check it out.**

The seagulls squawked outside of the apartment building. Sunlight broke through the window blinds into the living room with the two men sleeping soundly. Charlie snored like a lighting storm, making the blinds ruffle every time he exhaled. With his face turned towards Antonio, he constantly blew air at him, causing his hair to blow sideways.

Unconsciously, Antonio's right arm fell to the ground and searched for something. It grasped onto one of his boots and flung over. The boot flew into Charlie's mouth as he inhaled, corking it. Antonio turned over comfortably in his sleep while the air pressure built inside of Charlie's mouth. Once it reached it's peak, the boot flew at Antonio's head, waking him up.

"What, what is it?" He said sleepily. Charlie resumed snoring, startling Antonio. "Hey, wake up." He didn't budge. "Charlie, the cops have us surrounded!"

"I didn't do it!" He yelled sitting up with his hand high in the air.

"Good, you're awake. Come on, let's get started on the chair fort before Tanya wakes up too."

The two jumped out of bed and waltzed around, looking for the supplies to make the fort. Charlie rummaged through the lien closet and pulled out some unused bed sheets. While he did his thing, Antonio took out the chairs from the diner table located on the other side of the wall in the kitchen.

"Hey Charlie, how many chairs should I get?" He asked taking two in his hands.

"Take two from the kitchen, I'll get the other two from the porch." Charlie said dropping the sheets on the floor and headed outside. By the time Antonio got in the living room, Charlie was already back with the chairs from outside and they got to work putting the thing together.

In the bedroom, Tanya and Lela slept wonderfully. Lela slept under the covers, her tail popping out from under the edge of the bed. Tanya was curled up at the foot of the bed with her head resting on her hands. Suddenly, a huge racket sounded from the living room. The sudden sound of hammers and sawing wood disturbed her sleep. Tanya's eyes creaked open.

"What in tarnation?" She croaked.

Antonio grabbed a handful of nails and stuck all but one in his mouth. He nailed a chair down while Charlie sawed 2X4s. Antonio looked over at him. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Charlie looked around, "Making the roof."

"Good idea. Make sure it's a slanted roof so the rain doesn't cave it in." Antonio said, hammering more nails. One of the hits missed it's mark, having the hammer bash into his finger. "Ow! Wrong nail." He said to the hammer, "One more move like that, and I'll smelt you into a toilet cleaner!"

"Hey, let me use that hammer for a second." Charlie ordered.

"Be careful with it," Antonio warned, "He bites!"

He tossed the hammer to him with Charlie making an excellent catch. He began to run away with it, taking a few steps before realizing what he was doing, "Damn football reaction." He cursed wanting back to the planks of wood. He took two pieces and slanted them together.

Antonio handed him the nail box, "You'll need these."

Charlie hammered some nails in and tested it to make sure the planks don't move. "Okay, I'll hold it up and you nail it to the chairs."

Antonio got the hammer in his hand and nailed away. It took him two mouth fulls of nails before he was finished, with one left to spare. He stepped back and got the sign ready as Charlie swung a sheet over the fort and let it drift down.

"All right! We did a good job." Charlie said slapping Antonio's back. The nail in his mouth slipped into his throat and down into it. He grabbed he throat, realizing what just happened. "Anty, what happened?"

He coughed, "Uh oh, I swallowed it!"

"Don't worry, you looked like you needed the iron." Charlie said crawling under the sheet.

"Man, that's going to hurt coming out." Antonio worried as he put the sign on, then followed Charlie into the fort.

It was pitch black inside, only a faint silhouette of Charlie was visible. Charlie let out a menacing cackle as he turned on a flashlight and held it sideways towards his face. "Let's tell scary stories." He howled, making 'woo' noises.

"You're holding the light wrong." Antonio interrupted.

Charlie looked at the light and moved under his chin, letting out a big smile, "I'll go first." He cleared his throat, "One day, on an average night in the city of New York, a young man goes out on a stroll to enjoy the night air. But unknown to him, there was something lurking in the shadows. He continued walking, whistling as he did, not giving a care in the world. But the thing continued to follow him. It creaked behind him, until he got to a crosswalk. Then from behind, he herd a screeching noise. When he turned around, he saw it. The most horrifying thing ever to be created by god or devil. A creature so vial, it is feared by even each other. It was the NYPD, ready to charge the man with suspicious activity and dragged the man into the back of the squad car. He kicked and screamed, but it was to no avail, he was captured."

"Oh come on Charlie, that's not scary." Antonio interrupted.

"Have you been a black guy in New York at night?"

"No, but a scary story needs to have ghost or a murderer or zombies. You know, Halloween stuff."

"Okay mister horror specialist. You tell one." He said handing him the flashlight.

"All right I will. Let's see, oh! I've got one. There was a man who met a nice young girl at a restaurant. She was a waitress there, and he decided it was time to muster up the courage to go ask her on a date. When he did, she looked him over and accepted his offer, while licking her lips in delight. So the date went off smoothly, they had a lot in common and he saw her as the most beautiful woman in the world. She insisted they go back to her place once the date was over, though the man resisted the temptation, she insisted. Everything in his mind told him not to, but he didn't listen. But he should of.

They walked into her house and he settled in. She got him something to drink and he sat right on the couch and got comfortable. He wondered why he was worried, but it was nothing but in the past once she came back with the drink.

'Nervous?' She asked him.

He nodded.

'This will calm you down.' She said handing him the glass.

He thanked her and gulped it down. Within a blink, he was unconscious.

A few hours later, he awoke, hanging upside down from a rope in her basement. He tried to scream but only a slight wheeze escaped, followed by a sharp pain in his throat. He rubbed around it to feel a stitching over his Adam's Apple and realized his vocal cords have been removed. Out from the stairs, the girl stepped down towards the bottom of the basement. Her nails, now claws, scrapping against the railing. She walked up to the man who hung helplessly on the rope. She grabbed under her chain and pulled off the mask she was wearing the whole time, revealing a wolf-like face with bright red eyes and razor sharp teeth. In a demonic voice she said-

"What are you guys doing?" Tanya asked, peeking her head under the sheet. The two men screamed, making Tanya scream along with them. Charlie was still shrieking when Antonio noticed who it was.

"Wait, it's Tanya." He said calmly.

Charlie's cries of terror abruptly halted, "Oh, it is."

"Hey girl! Read the sign." Antonio said tapping on the sign outside of the fort, "No girls allowed."

"She can come in." Charlie smiled.

"No Charlie! She can't come in, those are the rules!" Antonio whined.

"Whatever," Tanya scoffed, getting up out of the fort, "I don't know about you two, but I'm eating breakfast. Smell you later."

She walked into the kitchen, Lela running around her feet jumping. "What is it girl, are you hungry?"

Lela barked, "Okay, I'll get you some nom-noms."

Tanya opened a cabinet and pulled out a can of wet dog food. "Now," She said searching around the counter, "Where is the can opener? Oh found it." She reached into her pocket and whipped out her combat knife. She pieced the top of the can lid and sawed around the edge until a little hatch was left to opened it. She took a bowl from another cabinet and poured it in. As she did, Lela pawed at her, trying to get the food.

"Easy there Lassie! Jeez, you'd think an Attack Dog would be well trained. Especially after being with To- actually there is no surprise you're like this." She bent down to set the bowl on the floor and set it down. Lela nearly bite her hand off as she lunged for the bowl.

"You didn't expect me to let you cook her all by yourself did you?" Charlie said walking into the kitchen with a chef's hat on.

"You know how to cook?" Tanya asked, surprised.

"No," Antonio butted in, "He knew you are a master at blowing things up! You and fire mix like soda and microwaves."

"Very funny Tony." She said sarcastically as the two sat down at the table while Charlie got out ingredients.

"He's only playing, I actually took cooking lessons when I was in high school."

"It was the only class that kept him in football, any other and he would of flunk."

"So what are you going to make?" Tanya asked.

"Pepperoni omelets with hash browns covered with whip cream."

Tanya pushed her face in, "And _how_ did you pass Culinary?"

"Don't worry Tanya," Antonio assured, "Anything he makes works. Unlike Wacko, everything he makes just breaks even more."

Charlie laughed as he cracked eggs into a mixing bowl, "Is he still around?"

"Shya, now he's inventing Black Hole Shells."

"Remind me to move away when he's finished. Crazy how an accident can change a man that way."

"What accident?" Tanya asked.

"It was a while ago during the war." Antonio said. "Wacko was sure that the Guardian Tank was faster than the Mirage Tank. The Beauchamp brothers believed the opposite. So one day after a mission they agreed to have a race so know who's right and who's wrong. During the race, they were on a road next to a cliff. Nobody knows for sure but something made Wacko's tank go pass the guard rails and off the cliff."

"Oh my god," Tanya said putting a hand to her mouth, "How did he survive?"

"He got lucky. The tank too most of the fall, but it landed upside down and he fell straight on his head. The field doctor said he wasn't going to be the same and he isn't."

"So that explains his hatred towards the Beauchamp brothers, and his wackiness."

"Don't forget the inventions." Charlie said wagging his spatula as them.

"And why he kept the same tank. He thinks it gives him good luck after it saved his life."

Charlie flung an omelet at the ceiling, "No way! That thing still runs!"

"More times then not." Antonio said iffy, "He still has trouble starting it some times."

"So how did you find a friend like Charlie, if I may ask?" Tanya asked while Charlie got a broom to scrape the omelet off the ceiling.

"Me and him go a bit back. When I was hiding from the Soviets here, and I called in for backup, he was hiding here too."

The omelet plopped on the floor and Charlie put it on a plate with hash browns, "I wasn't hiding, " He said spraying whip cream on the hash browns and gave the plate to Antonio, "I was strategizing."

"However you say it, we were both behind enemy lines. Him and Wacko's friends were hi- I'm mean _strategizing _in a grocery store."

"Wacko's friends?" Tanya asked.

"Yeah, George, Paul, and Ringo. They're Peacekeepers from England that he talks to all the time."

"So how did you find them?" Tanya asked as Charlie gave her a plate with food as well, "Oh, thank you."

"I walked pass the Conscripts. They were so drunk they thought I was one of them."

"But why did you go to a grocery store?"

"I was hungry. Can you think of a better place to get food?" He asked eating the omelet with a fork.

Tanya took a bite of her omelet, "Oh I think I can: This place! God damn, it's like a Proton Collider of flavor went off in my mouth!"

"I knew you'd like it." Charlie said sitting down with them. The three chowed down until their plates were empty and their bellies filled.

"Knock knock." A voice said in a heavy French accent as the front door opened.

"What the hell was that?" Tanya asked.

"Oh that must be Mr. Rolly, my landlord." Charlie said wiping his face off with a napkin and headed into the living room. He met up with a slim French man with a "Hey Rolly, how's my man?"

"I'm good Monsieur Monroe, I can here you give you rent."

"Wow, is it the end of the month already?"

"Guten tag Mr. Rolly!" Antonio greeted while Tanya following him.

"Oh hello Antonio. My my, who is this young lady?"

"Did someone come in?" Tanya said looking at the door, "Oh, you mean me."

" forgot to introduce you to her. She's Ta-"

"Tallulah. My name's Tallulah." She said shaking Mr. Rolly's hand.

He groaned in pain as she grabbed his hand. "Wow," He said, "What a grip!"

"Sorry." She said letting go.

"Well I better get going," Mr. Rolly said on his way out, "Before I break any more bones. Oh," He stopped at the door, "By the way, you guys be careful going outside later on. Last night I herd gun shots."

"But I only fired-," Tanya stopped herself, "I mean we will. Bye, have fun."

Mr. Rolly waved goodbye and they all waved back. "So why did you lie about your name Tanya?" Charlie questioned once his landlord was gone.

"Uhh, well, you don't want him to tell everyone that I'm here do you? The phone wouldn't stop ringing and the door would be packed with fans."

"You know she has a point Charlie." Antonio agreed.

"Oh yeah," Tanya said heading for the other room, "Before I forget. Charlie, would you help he out in the bedroom for a bit? I couldn't help but notice the room desperately needs a woman's touch."

"Sure thing," Charlie said following here, "Any advice would be appreciated."

"I see I won't be involved with this," Antonio said pointing a thumb to the kitchen, "If you need me, I'll be clearing the table."

Tanya and Charlie entered the bedroom with Charlie closing the door on impulse. Tanya got the step latter and examined the drapes. They were light blue with a red bar to hold them up. "The bar doesn't fit it at all." Tanya said. "Do you have a different one?"

"Let me check the closet." Charlie said.

By the time the living room was cleared of the three, Mr. Rolly walked in again. "Monsieur Charlie, I almost forgot to give you the receipt. Monsieur Charlie?" He looked around and noticed the bedroom door was closed and muffled voices coming from the other end. "Monsieur?" He approached the door and was about to knock when he heard a woman's voice.

"It looks unnatural." Tanya said standing on the step latter, "Just look down there. See how the carpet doesn't match the drapes."

Mr. Rolly covered his mouth in shock.

"I like it." Charlie defended as he rummaged through his packed up closet. He pushed a canoe out of the way to see the rest of the things.

"Well I don't. Here, help me with this." She took the drapes off of the bar, Mr. Rolly on the other side heard fabric falling to the floor. Tanya placed the red bar against the wall.

"Found one!" Charlie said taking a silver bar out and handing it to her. "How's this one?"

"Ah! Perfect, I'll just slip on and it should look better."

Mr. Rolly wanted to get his ear away from the door, but he couldn't.

Tanya struggled with the bar, the dusty hoops on the holders fought back and her height made it difficult to get a good placement. "Ugh, it won't fit. The hole's too tight."

Mr. Rolly's eyes bugged out from her words.

"Let me help you." He said getting on the bed and held the back of the bar. The bed springs squeaked as he pushed the bar against the hoops.

Tanya's hand slipped and got between the bar and the metal hoop. "Ow! You pinched my skin!"

"Sorry."

"Here, maybe we can lube it up." She snapped her finger, "I know, I'll spit on the tip. Then once it's in, the rest will be a cinch." She started spitting, getting the end of the bar slippery.

"Yeah, there you go girl. Get that thing drenched!" Charlie cheered.

Antonio saw at the corner of his eye Mr. Rolly standing hunched over next to the bedroom door. "Checking for termites vermiter?"

Mr. Rolly nearly jumped out of his skin, "Oh no, no no no no no no no no no! I'm just- I wanted to drop this off-I- goodbye!" He hastily walked away, "I didn't hear anything!"

Antonio watched as Mr. Rolly stumbled and stammered out the door, "I guess be found some. I better tell Charlie."

The bar finally slipped in when Antonio barged in through the door, "Charlie, I think you have termites."

"Really, I better let Mr. Rolly know."

"He already does. He's the one that told me."

"Okay good, I'm going to watch some TV. You don't mind finishing the rest, do you Tanya?"

"Not at all, you go ahead and gaze the tube." Charlie nodded and left the room, "Antonio can help me, right?"

"Sure, but this doesn't mean you're allowed in the fort."

Tanya sighed and rolled her eyes, "I'm going to shove that fort right up your ass if you don't give it a rest."

"Hey guys," Charlie said from the other room, "I think you would want to see this."

They two looked at each other then walked into the living room. Charlie had the TV set to the news as a anchor woman spoke in French.

"What's she saying?" Antonio asked.

"Just look." Charlie said pointing with the remote. On the Screen they saw a helicopter view of the city with a crowd of citizens running through the streets.

"Looks like a riot." Tanya said, "Are the people revolting?"

"No," Antonio said, "It looks like they're running from something."

A couple of IFV's followed the small crowd as they fired rockets at something behind them. Suddenly, two small bluish orbs struck on of the IFV's in the back and a giant explosion took over part of the entire road, destroying all of the IFV's there and throwing several civilians into nearby buildings. Then the camera showed where it came from.

"That can be." Tanya uttered.

It was a Future Tank X-1. The large humanoid-esque remote operated drone followed the fleeing citizens on it's two triangular tracks for legs. It's two arms charges up for another Neutron Scrambler launch. A flurry of rockets and gunshots came out from a nearby building as Allied troops came in to try and stop it. The Future Tank pivoted to face the building and let out two Impact Lasers from it's arm cannons at it's foundation. The beams scissored as they passed one another, slicing the building in two. The building came crashing down with everyone inside.

"That thing is here, isn't it?" Antonio asked. They saw a giant flash of lights and felt a small earthquake. Everything in the house rattled and shook, almost knocking them to the floor. The TV turned off from, most likely from a cut power line.

"Yeah," Tanya said, "it's here. I saw we take it down."

"I would agree," Antonio said, "except…"

"Except what?"

"I can't fight a tank. I only have a shotgun. Those don't do diddly against them. The armor's too thick."

"Fine, I'll take it out." Tanya said, getting her pistols out.

"You can try." Antonio said, "But chances are that you'll be turned into dust before you get within ten meters of that thing. Your C-4 charges are only good up close and personal. Like chocolate milk."

"Ah, I want chocolate milk now." Tanya said smiling.

"I know," Antonio agreed, "Me too."

"Wait, don't we know someone that can fight against tanks?" The two turned over to Charlie, who was looking the other way; humming.

"Who, me?" He said.

"No, you."

"Do I have to? I mean I just got a place to settle down and I really don't want to fight things. That's not my flow."

"Come on man," Antonio pleaded, "Just this once. And I promise, no more fighting."

"No, I can't." He said laying down on the couch.

"I'll let you touch my boob." Tanya offered.

Charlie's head rose. "You had me at boob. I'll get my stuff."

"Where is it?" Antonio asked.

"In the closet."

"Oh great." Tanya groaned, "Charlie's closet of infinite junk. They could make a sitcom out of it."

After a few moments in the bedroom, Charlie came out in a fully blue armored uniform with dark green clothes and helmet. Unlike the Peacekeeper, the Javelin Soldier's shoulder pads stretched out to his back instead of to the sides in order to keep the BM5 "Javelin" steady. Another difference was how the helmet had a adjustable Red Eye Monocle instead of a bullet proof visor. Charlie swung the Javelin up to his shoulder with one had and smiled.

"Let's go get us a trophy."


	10. Chapter 9: Nasty and in Bed

**Author's note: I'm sorry that this chapter took so long and will of course be crappy. My job and Resistance 3 takes up too much time for me to get a chance to sit down and type. Plus I know, there isn't any real action in this chapter but there will be in the next one. Perhaps a few jokes will make it better.**

**What did the witness to a group of Grizzly Tanks being destroyed have to say? He said it was a grizzly scene.**

**No? Not even a chuckle? Then maybe I'll have to make it perverted!**

**What kind of anime do physics like to watch ? Yuri! **

**That one was for the weaboos. And now back to the stupid fanfic!**

Japan is a place of honor. With honor comes respect and dignity. Those are the two ingredients that create a successful empire. Sadly, they also create arrogance. It was a bad idea from the start for the Empire to take on two of the world's largest super powers. Because of their failure, they were only allowed defensive towers as a way to protect themselves through the Santa Monica peace treaty, stripping the Empire of all offensive and mobile units, as well as their control over their previously conquered countries.

The max amount of troops allowed was 200. But with the war cost and the amount of energy used by any tower, Japan was limited to only being able to keep wave force towers in key areas and a lack of equipment and training for those 200 soldiers. Without funds, weapons and vehicles were nothing but a wish. Japan was left without money, armed soldiers, conquered land, and especially generals. But those quacks were push overs, so it's best this way in the general part. I mean come on, Kenji didn't even do anything but throw troops at the Soviets and wonder why he was losing (Only fourth wall joke in the fan fic: EVER!).

Emperor Tatsu had only one thing in mind: The safety of his remaining citizens and to rebuild what was destroyed. The majority of Japan's funds were squeezed out into reconstructing the homes and cities were battles took place during the invasion and the Uprising. Almost all of the military was kept to protect the most important military structures and political buildings. That left the rest of Japan to be protected by four experienced soldiers. The four most awarded and respected soldiers the Empire has ever seen since the Emperor died. Tatsu trusted them with the fate of Japan, and he wished he made the right decision.

The three men sat lazily on a chrome couch with lime green power ways humming across it in the lounge room. The secret mountain base had a break floor every ten floors, making it easier on the men and women working within. The break floors were complete with a kitchen, dinning room,, sleeping quarters, and an entertainment center. Everyone who worked within the mountain base was forced to live within it thanks its secrecy and location.

"Hey Akira," Gonpachi asked over the garble coming from the television set, "how long have we been here waiting?"

"Approximately five minutes and thirty two seconds." Akira answered looking at his watch.

"Huh, you'd think it was longer than that." He took a bite into a large sandwich.

"Gonpachi," Tsuyoshi asked, "what are you eating?"

"Cheesy chicken sandwich from Burger Kong." He answered, taking another big bite.

"How did you get it if were in a secret base?"

"They have one on the floor under us." He said changing the channels. After a few clicks he found what he was looking for. "Alright, my favorite show!"

"What is it, the Food Channel?" Tsuyoshi taunted.

Gonpachi didn't say anything.

"I said what is it, the Food Channel?" Tsuyoshi repeated. Gonpachi's eyes stayed glued to the screen.

"It's The Electric Bunny Show," Akira stated, "Once it's on, he's out of it until commercial break."

"Damn!" Tsuyoshi exclaimed, "I remember him watching that when he was still in grade school. You'd think a show about a bunny that electrocutes people would of ended by now."

"It was going to, but then he got a job in a prison as an electric chair, adding another season."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that he had the power to transform and that he can breathe in outer space. Hey, remember the episode when he gets lost in the woods and turns himself into a shark and electrocutes all the fish in the lake in order to survive?"

"Or the time when Electric Bunny got married to the electric eel."

"Or the time when he went to another solar system and turns a peaceful greeting with alien life forms into genocide!" Tsuyoshi shouted. "Man, now I want to watch too!"

"Me too!"

Tsuyoshi and Akira fixed their attention to the T.V. screen and enjoyed the opening credits of Electric Bunny electrocuting random people while catchy rockish music plays. Right as the show was about to begin, however, it was interrupted.

"This is Super Happy Fun Time Awesome Yes Please News Show with a breaking news story!" The announcer shouted with clapping in the background.

"Aww, emperor damn it!" Tsuyoshi cursed, "Just when it was getting good.

"Wha- what happened?" Gonpachi asked shaking his head then screamed, "Agh! Where's the electric bunny?"

The camera zoomed in to a news anchor sitting in from of a desk talking to someone off screen. "…that's why we had to get a new vacuum cleaner because his penis was stuck and- oh we're on? Hello, I am Hontōni Kakushitsu. In our top story, a fire broke out in the world famous Tenzai Robotics building, killing over six hundred workers inside of this forty three story landmark before firefighters could douse the flames."

"Hey Akira, wasn't that the place you worked in?" Tsuyoshi asked, "Glad you weren't there when it happened huh?"

Akira looked around with his eyes, "Uh, yeah, guess I was lucky."

"But what puzzles investigators is the newly found body of the manager of the corporation, Rokudenashi Tenzai, and his son. They were found on the top floor were the fire had started. But that wasn't the confusing part. Take a look as Gōkan Higai-sha reports live from the scene."

The young female reporter stood in front of the smoking skyscraper as ambulances fire trucks, and injured salary men wailed in the background. "I am here live in front of the Tenzai Robotics building as-" She looked down at the microphone and began to shudder, "Can- can I have a microphone that isn't so big and black? It- it brings back bad memories." She asked handing someone off screen the microphone and waited for a few second as they got her another one. "Oh, thank you," She sighed with relief; getting a new smaller, yellow, microphone, "Much better. Okay, where was I? Oh right! -as paramedics and firefighters continue to find survivors in this horrible event. Some say it was caused by an electrical problem that released wave flames from the wires. Others speculate a disgruntled employee robbed out of his new promotion had a tie in to this. The rest don't even know this is happening because they probably are in an other country with there own problems to care for. But what shocked police was the discovery of two bodies on the very top floor where the fire was started. Paramedics found their arms and legs to be taken away from their hips and shoulders and some how rammed inside of the two victims' rectums. The burned remains of the two people have been identified as Rokudenashi Tenzai and his son Kusatta. During the war, Tenzai was-"

A large blue laser flew across the street, connecting with an ambulance. The truck exploded with a green blast from it's wave force engine. "Oh my emperor, something is wrong here!" Gōkan cried, taking cover behind a nearby police car with the camera man following closely, "I think we're under attack but I can't see anything,"

A quick barrage of blue light slammed into the bundle of rescue vehicles, destroying everything in the vicinity. The destruction continued as the wave force engines combusted, the booms shattering the large glass windows of nearby corporate buildings. Glass and green fire filled the streets as people ran for cover from the unseen attacker. Police officers fired their MX Type-1 Kinetic Pistols at the direction the shots came from. "The police are trying to handle the situation but they seem to be doing more harm then good. Oh my emperor, I'm so scared!" She cried, "I haven't been this terrified since I was a school girl!"

The screen changed to show the news anchor making out with a female stage hand. He pushed her off screen into a monitor when he saw that he was being filmed and cleared his throat, "That will be all for this breaking news flash. I hope Gōkan Higai-sha the best- what does that say? Oh, the best of luck and to the others on the scene. Until next time, I am Hontōni Kakushitsu."

The siren pierced the air, a flashing red light next to the siren accompanied it's urgent message. Tsuyoshi jumped out of the couch, "Alright, popcorn's ready!" He shouted, running to the microwave.

"I think that's the alarm for us to start fighting." Akira corrected.

"Attention Neo Samurai, this is Emperor Tatsu. Report to the Mecha Bay in floor B4."

"Before what?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Aww but it just got back to the show," Gonpachi whined, "Just five minutes and we'll go." He lifted his legs up to take up the whole couch and got comfortable.

"No way. It's a battle finally," Tsuyoshi said amped up. He gave out a few punches to the air in front of him, "Just what I've been waiting for." He swung his leg straight up, his shoe flying away from his foot and upwards into the overhead light, filling the room with only the green glow from the wave force coursing thought their resonator rods.

Wave force is produced by harmonizing the waveforms of heavy particles. The resonator rods kept their harmony as the wave force traveled from the generating plants scattered across the Empire of the Rising Sun. They would be similar to any wire or circuit the Soviets and Allies used in their electronics but, as a minor side effect, wave force effects the air and material surrounding it when it is in "energy form". The frequency used to give off usable energy creates a green light and is seeped into anything containing it. The wavelengths or the air and material around it are set to 546.1 nm, creating the color green. The "offence form" is set to a different frequency. Most of the Japanese weapons used the blue form since it took less energy to produce, offering a shorter reload time. Only a few weapons are armed with the red form, but only an experienced operator can keep it in one piece due to the high risk of it combusting in untrained hands. Akira thought all of this in his mind for absolutely no real reason. Maybe it was the ear piercing siren that made him think it.

"Quick! Let's get out of here before they charge us for the broken light!" Tsuyoshi yelled as the three followed him into the hallway, knocking over chairs and workers in their blind sprint. Gonpachi followed slowly behind, but turned back quickly to turn off the TV and the couch. Akira activated his shoes, having him launch off the ground onto the wall as they turned a corner. His speed allowed his feet to stay on the chrome wall until someone opened a door. His legs slammed into the metal, his body unable to recover. With a crash he rolled in far apart collisions until the elevator at the end stopped his momentum. He let out a small groan as he rubbed his head, which just smashed into freaking metal at 40 MPH. The concussion jogged his memory about someone.

"You guys, we forgot Hana!" He shouted in his head set.

"Crap, she's still sleeping." Tsuyoshi answered.

"That's right, the sleeping quarters is sound proof to retain perfect sleeping conditions." Akira said to himself, "Quick Tsuyoshi, you have to wake her up!"

"No way! Last time I did my arm didn't heal right. I don't want to have two arms that fully bend back and forth any time soon. Get Gonpachi to do it."

"He's not responding. All I can here from his line is huffing and wheezing."

"Then you do it!"

"I can't quite feel my legs. The speed shoes nearly tore my right gastrocnemius."

It was a awful dilemma for Tsuyoshi. On one hand, he was a risk of bodily injury. On the other, he would be dishonoring himself and his team for not having everyone present at the time of an emergency. At least I'm not in Akira's shoes, He thought to himself, with a nearly torn ball sack.

"Okay, I'll get her." Tsuyoshi said on his way to the sleeping quarters, "Just wait there in the elevator."

He knocked over someone holding a giant stack of papers as he turned into the sleeping quarters. The papers flew up as he jumped in the air to do a flying kick on the metal door. He fell flat on his back as the metal sent a painful shockwave into his bones.

"It's locked with a keypad lock." He searched around with his eyes to see a large window next to the door and a chair. "Perfect!"

He knocked on the glass and felt it was fragile enough to break with the chair. He got his hands ready by rubbing them together and closed his eyes to protect them from the glass shards. As he reached for the chair, a worker sat down on it to rub his feet. Tsuyoshi's hands grasped onto the worker's shirts and flung him into the glass window, shattering it to pieces. He leaped into the room and rolled over the guy, avoiding the glass.

"Hana! Where are you?" He shouted.

In the room next to him, Estuko was sleeping soundly. She woke up from the glass exploding, but was still groggy from her deep sleep. She could hear Tsuyoshi calling for Hana close by.

"Hana's working, come back later." She mumbled.

Tsuyoshi dive rolled into the room and let out a fearful yelp when he saw here in the bed with her eyes closed. He took in a deep breath and prepared for the worse.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry-" He repeated as he picked her up, slung her over his shoulder and sprinted out of the room. The man he just threw at the window attempted to get up, but by the time he managed to get on his elbows, Tsuyoshi stepped on his back and used him to jump out the space where the window was.

"What's taking those two so long?" Akira asked himself, checking his watch. From around the corner of the hallway, he could hear screams and yells. Soon enough he could see Tsuyoshi sprinting down the hallway with a young girl over his shoulder…in her underwear. Workers stared in confusion as he zoomed by rooms to reach the end of the hallway.

His glasses fogged up from the embarrassment as Tsuyoshi ran into the elevator, trailed by Gonpachi. He set Estuko on her feet and gasped for air. Gonpachi slowed down to a crawl, getting on his knees once he got in the elevator and collapsed on the metal floor. The elevator shook violently, having Akira hold himself on the walls.

"Okay," Tsuyoshi panted, "Okay, I'm good. Let's get-" He saw Estuko and his jaw dropped. One: For fear of being in more pain for bringing her indecently and two: Because of her body. "-going." He quickly averted his gaze as Estuko could do nothing but try to cover herself with her hands.

"Here," Akira ordered, "Get behind us." He pushed her to the far corner as Tsuyoshi and him stood shoulder to shoulder facing away from her, taking her away from the eyes of the several other people inside of the elevator with them.

"Neo Samurai business." Tsuyoshi told them as they stared awkwardly at the three of them.

The elevator jolted once it reached the floor all of the workers wanted to get off at. Estuko's breast bumped into Tsuyoshi and Akira's backs, making them feel even more embarrassed then they previously did. "Yoshi, this doesn't feel right." Akira whispered.

"Your telling me. Her sister and your sister are both sisters. Hey Gonpachi," He ordered, "Get off the ground and help us!"

Gonpachi's response came in the form of loud, wet, raunchy, flatulence and tons of it. By the time the elevator stopped at another floor, it was still going. Some poor souls attempted to enter, but were cast away by the horrendous stench being spewed.

"Eh, close enough." Tsuyoshi said, him and Akira giving Estuko space.

"Sadly it is a double edge sword." Akira stated.

"What do you-" Tsuyoshi gagged in horror, "-Aww, we're trapped in a Dutch Oven!"

The three of them gasped and coughed, trying to survive the terrible odor of digested Burger Kong's deep fried cheesy chicken sandwich in ranch sauce. Akira fell backwards and vomited all over himself. Now the stench of vomit and bad gas filled the closed off elevator as it descended into the lower levels of the base.

"Ahh, how many floors are left?" Tsuyoshi screamed, trying his hardest not to pass out.

"16 floors," Akria wheezed out.

"What is taking them so long?" Emperor Tatsu asked Tasty in a control room above the hanger.

"Give them time daddy," Tasty said filing her nails, "It's a big base."

"What's the point of being an Emperor if people don't listen to you?"

Tasty admired her finger nails then turned to him, "What did you say?"

Next to them, the elevator opened. What the two of them saw was more confusing then any anime they watched.

"What is this?" Tatsu asked, "Line up men!"

Tsuyoshi's eyes opened, "I'm alive?" He questioned as he got up, "Great merciful karma, I survived! Haha, let this be known as the first victory for the Neo Samurai!"

"Line up!" Tatsu repeated.

The four soldiers hurried to line up in front of the Emperor . Tasty could only stare in shock at what had happened to them, her mouth a full maw.

Tatsu inspected them starting with Akira. He saw puke covering his shirt and dripping from his mouth.

"Mmm hmm."

Next was Gonpachi. He seemed normal, until Tatsu looked at his rear and saw a large brown spatter covering the lower part of his shirt and ran all the way down to his legs.

"Mmm."

His sight of Estuko was less disgusted and a nice change, but still out of uniform.

"Mmm. I've seen enough. Who have you chose as a leader?"

"I am!" Tsuyoshi shouted, "I hope we weren't late."

"Well Tsuyoshi, what do you have to say for yourself."

"Well I'm good looking and-"

"SHUT UP!" Tatsu exploded, "I thought I was to expect four Neo Samurai to be present! What do I get? A Engineer with a weak stomach, a Tankbuster with soiled trousers, a Archer Maiden in her undergarments, and an Imperial Warrior that allowed all of this to happen. You know what? Just go on your mission, I'm not even going to- just go." He headed to the elevator, "I'm going to my room. Takara?"

"Yes daddy?" She answered.

"You tell them what's going on." He pressed the button and entered the elevator. "Good luck men, you'll- Oh myself! What is that awful-" The doors closed before he could finish.

"Well, looks like I'm in charge for today." Tasty said, trying to changing the mood.

"In our defense, Estuko's uniform would have her get in her underwear anyway." Tsuyoshi claimed.

"That's not the point Tsuyoshi," Tasty said a little disappointed, "It's having everyone here fast and ready that matters."

"One out of two isn't bad." Gonpachi said.

"It's a 50% in school, and that's an F." Akira argued.

"He's right guys. Imagine if you arrived on the battlefield without your equipment."

Tsuyoshi groaned, "Yeah, your right. I just hope your dad isn't mad at us."

"Oh he isn't mad." Tasty ensured, "Maybe a little grumpy, but that's because of the Tenzai building being brought down. It was his favorite industry. He would spend hours ordering tanks and Mecha Tengus to attack his rivals." She laughed to herself and sighed, "He used to be so full of energy."

"What happened to him?" Estuko asked.

Tsuyoshi looked over to her to see her standing normally, "Hey, how come you aren't covering yourself up?"

"I got used to it." She answered simply.

"Daddy's daddy passed away when a V4 missile destroyed his customized battle walker, and left him with all of Japan to control."

"I would be different too." Gonpachi sympathized.

"That's why it's important to do things right over quickly. A strategy is nothing without thought and thinking takes time. A leader should know that by now."

"Your right Tasty. Well do better next time." Tsuyoshi promised.

"I guess we're a little rusty after being away for a few months." Gonpachi said.

"Oh right the mission!" Tasty exclaimed, nearly forgetting. "You heard the Tenzai building was destroyed, right? Well right after on news footage, it could be seen at the survivors were attacked by blue beams." She clicked on a remote and the screen behind her showed a screenshot of the news footage.

"How could we not. It was practically on every channel since it was on the one channel we were watching."

"It's easy to see that those beams from the glaives of a Steel Ronin." She clicked to show the image of a Steel Ronin holding a Beam Naginata, "Usually they were programmed to stick there glaives in the ground and release the stored energy kept at the base of the wave force blade. It would produce an earth attack, having the force to destroy vehicles and buildings from under the ground using vibrations." She clicked to show a Soviet Construction yard crumbling at the walls from a ground attack with the tanks around it being struck with the wave force energy, being sliced apart with the intense heat."

"So launching the reserved energy is a new trick?" Tsuyoshi verified.

"Yeah, really new. In fact, we couldn't even reproduce the same effect if we tried. The technique of having the ground transfer the energy isn't for show." She clicked to show a shot of a group of Steel Ronin playing volleyball in a beach, "It prevents the glaive from focusing the shot, having the earth do it for them. To have it focused enough to travel through air," She clicked to show some Steel Ronin running through the water and splashing each other, "It would have to be incredibly advance in nano technology." She clicked to show two Steel Ronin holding hands in the water as they watched the sun set.

"This is nice and all Tasty, but why do we need to know this?" Gonpachi asked.

"Did you even listen earlier?" Akira said, "Preparation is important for any battle. Knowing your enemy is some of the most important information you can have."

"So when do we start?" Tsuyoshi asked pumped up, "I just want to rip their metal heads off and chop them to bits." He swung around an imaginary beam katana, making sound effects as he did.

"Right after you guys change into your uniforms." She walked over to a wall and pushed a button. The wall flipped over and changed to something similar to an operating table and a steep angle to lean against it and complete with straps to fix the persons arms and legs. "Who's first?"

"Me me me me!" Tsuyoshi said running up to the contraption. He leaded on the table and put his arms and legs next to the straps. "So how does it-"

Tasty another button to have the straps lock in and the table fling upwards to bring him on the other side of the wall. Sounds of drills and mechanical whirls could be heard until the table flipped back to have Tsuyoshi in a red Imperial Warrior uniform with gold lining around it. The samurai styled armor and helmet were complete with a face plate for maximum protection. His kinetic carbine and beam katana were in their holsters, ready to be used at any time. "Whoa, this feels so cool." His voice muffled by the face plate.

"I guess I'll be next." Gonpachi volunteered.

"Don't worry," Tasty said as he got in place, "The machines will clean your little accident."

"Hahaha very funny." The table tried to flip but stopped half way from his immense weight. The hydraulics struggled as he stayed stuck in place.

"Come on, let's help him." Tsuyoshi ordered. All of them pushed up on the table until it finally flipped completely. They waited a few seconds until it flipped back, thankfully by releasing the hydraulics instead of using a different set to push it back. Gonpachi was now outfitted with a green Tankbuster uniform with gold lining. His extra wide brimmed hat and plasma cannon were in their places, at the ready.

"It's a little tight around the waist." Gonpachi claimed.

"A picnic blanket would be tight around your waist." Tsuyoshi joked.

"I have a plasma cannon, don't make me use it on you!" Gonpachi threatened.

"Akira your turn." Tasty ordered.

"I don't have a uniform." He said.

"You will be an Imperial Warrior. You know how to use a gun, right?"

"I do, but- whatever. I guess it would be good to have a second infantry man to provide assistance."

He got on the table and once it flipped back and forth he was in a blue Imperial Warrior uniform with a brand new Type 3 Kinetic Shotgun and a back canister full of wave bombs. The wave bombs were round blue explosives that released enough energy to cripple a main battle tank or take out a bunched up group. It was the Japanese equivalent to the Soviet magnetic mines and the Allied Fragmentation grenades.

"I'll go next," Estuko said, "It's starting to get cold."

She followed the same procedure and wound up with not so full body armor. Yellow medieval style boots and charged bracer-gauntlets covered her lower legs and forearms. A large helmet with a multifunction visor protected her head and upper face. But only an armored bra and panties with side armor protected her torso.

"I hope you like the adjustments." Tasty said.

Estuko looked at her exposed cleavage and midriff and blew air up to push her hair in dissatisfaction, "I was expecting more coverage."

"Oh don't worry, you guy have health insurance." Tasty assured.

Estuko sighed, "That's not the kind of coverage I'm taking about."

"Yeah, her upper legs are exposed," Akira said, "Leaving vital veins and arteries liable to injury."

"And her belly's showing," Gonpachi added, "Making almost all of her major organs vulnerable."

"And her knockers are hanging out!" Tsuyoshi shouted, "Leaving the only reason a man would even talk to her in complete danger!"

"Thanks guys," Estuko said smiling, "…I think."

"Gotcha," Tasty understood, "I will order the modifications. Sadly, Estuko, you will have to wear it as is for now."

"I don't mind, as long as nobody stares. The feeling is just creepy. And that goes for you three also!" She said to the three guys.

"I wouldn't look even if you were covered in chocolate," Gonpachi said honestly, "Akira is too shy to look, and Tsuyoshi can't because he's gay."

"What?" Tsuyoshi exclaimed, "That's it! Me and Silver Shot will turn you into the biggest block of Swiss cheese on this side of Switzerland!" He whipped out his kinetic carbine and pulled the trigger but nothing happened. "Hey Tasty, what gives?"

"The base is encased in a misfire counter measure. The only way that thing is firing is if we are under attack or the entire system is shut down. But that's not important right now, we are wasting time talking. Follow me to the hanger area."

They walked out the door leading down a stairway to an area similar to a subway station. Tasty guided them to the edge of the rails.

"Are we waiting for a train like we did during the draft?" Tsuyoshi questioned, "Is that how we're getting to the Tenzai building?"

"It's better then a train." She clicked on her handled pad and within seconds a loud screeching noise could be heard from the end of the south tunnel. A Sudden Transport stopped to a sudden halt in front of the Neo Samurai and Tasty, the side of the vehicle lifted upwards to allow them inside.

"A Sudden Transport propelled with magnet rails." Akira proclaimed, "With added wave force jets on the back to increases it's velocity. How fast does it go?"

"Fast enough to break the sound barrier at mach 2."

"Sounds painful." Tsuyoshi worried.

"How can it be controlled?" Akira asked, "With that speed and a tunnel system, turning to a new destination is humanly impossible."

"Go inside and see for yourself." Tasty said pushing them in.

"Aren't you coming inside to show us around?" Gonpachi asked.

"Oh no no no. Daddy would kill me if I got in there. Only military personal with combat training are allowed in a Sudden Transport. Good luck out there you guys. And I hope to see you again Gonpachi." She gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"I'll be back for more." Gonpachi said giggling. He entered the transport with the rest of the team. The door closed behind him as Tasty waved goodbye.

"All personnel return to the safety area." A mechanical voice announced over the loud speaker. Tasty jogged up the stairs and returned to the control room.

Inside the transport, the neo samurai sat in one of the five seats set for them. "So where is this expert driver Tasty spoke of." Akira asked sitting in the very back

"That would be me!" A mechanical voice said. The robotic head spun downwards from the wheel house above the passenger bay.

"Samurai, meet Beta 4." Tasty said on the interior loudspeaker of the transport, "Once a Burst Drone, he was promoted to drive one of the many underground trains used during the developing stages of the Empire's armies before the war.

"I always hated the fact I was about to explode any minute. The tension was killing me!"

Only Estuko laughed at the funny beeping noises Beta 4 made while taking.

"Ah," Tsuyoshi said, "I remember those days. The dark corridors of the underground dojos. Not seeing the sun for several months and then weeks inside of a Transport until we got to west side of Russia. Their face's were priceless when we ruined new years!"

"Fasten your seat belts!" Beta 4 said. The seats instantly fasten a pressure vest to prevent the Neo Samurai from passing out from the G force. "Let's go!"

The Sudden Transport's wave force jets activated, launching it forward at blinding speed. The Transport weaved between turns and interceptions with inhuman reaction time. "Whoa!" Beta 4 beeped, "This is so like weird and stuff. I'm used to heading east because the Tenzai Robotics was in Tokyo. But since those American round eyes destroyed it, I have to go to Sendai where the new Tenzai Corporation building is. Why do they make my job difficult? I hate them!" He shrieked. "They will all die!"

"Hehe robots." Gonpachi chuckled. "Hey Akira you okay over there?"

Akira couldn't hear him. His mind was trapped in the walls of a cubicle and in front of a computer, "Hey Akira," Takumi said leaning on his cubical, "Can you copy these forms for me? Thanks a few." His eye twitched in real life, not even blinking. The only movement he did was when the Sudden Transport slowed down to launch off the ramp leading to the outside world. Once the transport returned to having it bottom jets make it hover on the road, it leaned forward to make a vicious halt.

"Yay we're here." Beta 4 cheered, "Are you guys ready?"


	11. Chapter 10: Getting Better Pt 1

**Author's note: I found an old file in my computer from the crow fanfic I stopped working on and I realized something. My writing now is horrible! I mean the characters are there and the jokes are laughable but the writing itself is lacking. Some may find the new style a bit off, but to be honest, this is the way I'm meant to write. It will still be funny, but from what I saw in the last few chapters, things will be a little different. I guess I forgot that adjectives existed.**

**Also, sorry this chapter took so long to come out. Lot of stuff has been going on but thankfully I will be able to release new chapters faster now that I have a laptop. **

High up in the Yablonoi Mountains of Siberia, a forgotten castle nestled within the placid artic snow. Inside its aged stone walls, Steel Ronin guarded their most prized possession: the Ronin Matrix. Deep in the castle's dungeon, the Ronin Matrix was housed within a super computer only accessed by Temujin himself. Thankfully today, Temujin was visited by his most welcomed guest.

The man walked inside of a corridor, Steel Ronin bowed in honor as he walked pass them. Wind howled from outside of the castle walls, snow fall plainly visible from the windows lining the corridor. The sacred katana Unmei clanked against his armor greaves with each step. The corridor echoed every noise, from the metallic taps, to the wave force coursing throughout the Steel Ronin guards. He turned right to face two large doors. The two guards bowed and opened them, allowing the man inside. Once he entered, they closed.

Rows of candles dimly lit the large throne room. Only the two men inside gave the room any life. An elderly man with glasses visible only from the glare given off sat in the throne. The visitor was fully armored in golden reptile-like metal scales with a black robe underneath. A golden dragon face helmet covered his face from being seen as he knelt before his master.

"I await your bidding sensei." The armored man offered.

"Tell me Kaibutsu," the elderly man croaked, "Why do you obey me?"

"I've answered this before sensei," His voice was enhanced by cybernetics, giving a robotic tone.

"I want to hear it again, in case it has changed."

"I follow my master, and a master is someone that will protect everyone he can, or die trying."

"Do you miss your old life of being one?" The old man questioned.

"It is my destiny to be reborn. It was fate for you to find me and bring me back into this world and for that I am grateful."

"Good, now go and attack the Tenzai Corporation. Without it, Japan will receive a dreadful loss and shall be open for the main plan. Take a small force with you, there is no need to be wasteful or careless. Hopefully you still remember that from your experience in the military."

"I do."

"On the side, how is your memory?"

Kaibutsu thought, but only the present returned to his mind, "I'm a Japanese warrior, it's doomed to be faulty by fate."

"Right, okay." The old man tried to get up but fell flat on the floor.

"Master!" Kaibutsu rushed to aid him, "Are you hurt."

"I'm alright; I'm wearing a diaper for a reason." He lay a hand on Kaibutsu's golden shoulder pad, "Now my son, make me proud to of chosen you."

"Yes Temujin sensei." They bowed to each other, their heads conking together. Kaibutsu was protected with his helmet, but Temujin collapsed to the floor. Kaibutsu activated the wall intercom, "Send a medical drone to the throne room," He looked back to see Temujin's leg twitching, "and make it snappy."

The doors behind him burst open, allowing the medical drone to heal Temujin and Kaibutsu to leave, ready to carry out his new mission.

"Alright men, on me." Tsuyoshi said leaving the Sudden Transport.

The others followed him down the abandoned street. Behind them the transport reversed towards a bus bench. The hydraulics under the ground lifted it up and swallowed the transport, then returned to earth, ready to take the Neo Samurai back whenever they're done. Papers filled the sidewalks and roadways as Tsuyoshi passed a burning tire. They could see the smoke rising from the skyscraper nearby, dissipating as it rose to the clouds. The fire was out but the smoldering remains and burning paper still left a smoke trail. The four of them took cover behind the side of a set of concrete stairs belonging to another corporate building, anticipating the worst.

"I don't hear anything." Gonpachi said anxious.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Estuko asked.

"Of course! Do you seriously think that I would be wrong?"

"What about the time you told me that all Chinese people look alike because they're inbred?" Gonpachi questioned.

"That hasn't been disproven." Tsuyoshi declared, "And it was for an essay."

"I still had to go to counseling." Gonpachi said, "They thought I was racist against our principal… who was Chinese."

"Listen Gonpachi, you're only racist if you get caught saying racist things." He looked over the side of the stairs and saw no activity, "Okay here is the plan. Come on, make a circle around me, don't be sky." He kneeled down as the others created a circle around him, "This is the Tenzai building," He picked up a soda can and set it in the center of the group. He reached into his front pocket and pulled out a plastic army man. "This is me. I will head inside of the Tenzai building and see if anything is going on in there."

"And…" He fished in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled bag of chips, "Gonpachi, you will head south and scout the building across the street from it."

"Got it." Gonpachi agreed.

Tsuyoshi pulled out a sack of marbles from his right equipment pouch, "Akira will stay here and keep the exit clear." His fingers pulled on the string keeping the sack closed, letting all the marbles within roll down into the street and backwards into the gutter. "Aww great, he lost his marbles. Oh well, you can remember to just stay here, right Akira?" He looked to see Akira out of it, "Hey, are you listening?"

Akira shook his head, "Yeah, I heard you. I'm going to- yeah."

"Just stay here and let us know if anything is fishy." Tsuyoshi repeated, "Okay, now with Hana." He searched all of his pockets but couldn't find anything.

"IT's okay Tsuyoshi, I don't need-"

"No no no, if we had a marker, you get one too. Just- "He dug deep into his right sock and found something. He whipped out a used condom and plopped it onto the chrome ground. The others looked at him disgusted as he continued the plan, "-Hana will cover the east intersection and check out between buildings," He dragged the condom across the ground as he talked, leaving a white, slimy trail, "on her way up to the roof. The news footage showed that the artillery rounds came from that direction. Hopefully they didn't move that sum bitch. Everyone got it? Alright, let's go!" He got up and equipped his carbine.

"No, wait." Gonpachi stopped him, "Why was there a used condom in you sock?"

"Hey, I didn't question it, so neither should you. By the way, we are on a mission. I suggest you follow you orders since I am the leader, remember? Be ready out there." He ran around the corner and disappeared.

"To be honest," Estuko said getting out her Sorazatsu Type II Great Bow, "I don't remember when he was declared leader."

"It was way back in high school." Gonpachi said, "He would always have the jump on what we should do. We didn't have any better ideas, so he being the leader was something we just got used to."

"Oh yeah, now I remember my sister- I mean I remember about that." She looked down at her overly exposed skin and scratched her nose, "Hey Gonpachi?"

"Yeah?"

"Back in the base you said you wouldn't look at me if I was covered with chocolate. Do you think I'm ugly or something?"

"Oh, far from it. You could make a straight woman go dike if you wanted to."

"Then, why? Did something happen between you and Han- I mean you and me?"

Gonpachi put his hands on his hips, chuckling to himself, "That was a long time ago, before we met Tsuyoshi. We were in middle school and we were going steady. I thought I was all that because of my looks and well… I cheated on you."

Estuko gasped.

"I know, I know." Gonpachi held his hands up in defense, "I was stupid. I lost you and the other girl and once we were in high school, you finally started talking to me again, after Akira persuaded you of course. Not before long, I started weight lifting and you became the menace we all knew and feared. Boot camp must have really set you straight."

This was the first time Estuko had ever heard about this. Hana was always temperamental, expect with Akira. Him and her were always best friends, until she came back from her tour of duty. "This might sound off Gonpachi but, I'm really glad we could stay friends."

Estuko held out her hands for a hug.

He returned her offer, "Same here. Come on Hana, we got a job to do. We can talk later about the past. Hopefully that head injury was only temporary."

"What head injury?" She asked. Gonpachi was already gone by the time she did. "Well Akira, I guess you lucked out. You get to stay here." She looked over at him. He stayed against the wall and stared out into space. "Okay, bye… I think."

Akira didn't even notice they all left him alone. He was trapped in the past, surrounded by files and cubicle walls. A constant ringing of a phone filled his mind as he typed away, an endless chain of words and letters. A job he was doomed to never finish. He would put out all his effort, but the work kept piling on and on. He was stuck in a terrible corporation flashback.

On her way to her scouting point, Estuko avoided burning debris and slapped fly paper away from her face. Her hand movements attracted more pages to fly at her from all directions. She fell to the street as one paper got stuck in her mouth. She pulled it out.

"Deer John?" She read the title of the manga cover with a picture of a guy slapping the rear of a half deer lady.

She picked up another page, "Dumb Bitch?" The picture being a dog girl with a dunce cap on licking a ruler held by a male teacher.

She grasped another from the ground, "Tuba Fornication?" Her jaw dropped, "These aren't files. They're no-no books!" She looked down at a page showing a guy with a tuba near his crotch, "Ahh! My virgin eyes are burning!"

After rubbing her eyes, she blinked several times, "Why would anybody ever read anything like that? What kind of sicko would even write it?"

She nearly forgot her mission. "Wait a minute, I'm a soldier now. I won't let a few lines and colors slow me down." She pulled up her armored skirt, wearing it up to her metal bra, "From this day forward, everyone will remember the heroic and adventurous Archer Maiden, Estuko Shinemei and all of my glory." She let out a roaring laugh that echoed throughout the empty streets.

Estuko let out a happy sigh and started jogging. She struggled with the Archer Maiden boots, mainly since the heel was raised to give her butt that lovely swing. She slowed down before she tripped on her own feet and settled for walking.

"Damn perverted uniform designers." She mumbled to herself, "Next time I'll pretend I'm a Shinobi. They get to wear those scarfs I like so much."

The streets became less cluttered as she left the area around the destroyed skyscraper. It was peaceful in Estuko's mind, the feeling of being the only on around. Only the cars and skyscrapers kept her company. The sun was blocked off partly due to the smoke and the dust created from the Tenzai Building. But off at the entrance to a café, something caught her attention.

The artillery rounds that attacked the area seemed to of nicked one of the support beams for a billboard, the entire thing crashing into the café's entrance. She approached the thin, cracked advertisement screen fragment and listened closely. She heard it again, a scratching noise on the other side.

"Hello? Is someone there?" She called out. "Don't worry, I'm here to help."

She thought to herself how to get the billboard piece out of the way. It was wedged into the door, blocking it from opening. She couldn't push it out of the way, unless she had help from the rest of the team. It seemed to of rolled away from its other half when it hit the ground.

She looked at her gauntlets and remembered their wave force finger tips. The tips are used to activate the alloy metal rods called Wave Bolts. Activating Wave Bolts is also known as sparking, an unofficial Soldier slang. But the tips themselves can create enough energy to cut through most hard materials. She's heard of Archer Maidens using them in close combat, giving a more violent look on battlefield cat-fights.

She activated her gauntlet finger tips, having them glow a bright green.

"Stay away from the door, I'm cutting through!"

The gauntlet went through the billboard with ease, her hand passing through horizontally. It split clean in two as the bottom half fell to the floor. The door burst open, something knocking Estuko to the ground in the process.

"Ow! Hey, what's the big idea? I'm trying to save you!" She looked up to see a floating maintenance drone turn back around to face her. Smoke trailed it as it hovered towards her.

Maintenance drones come in different form, based on whichever job they are given. Floating drones are used primarily for cleaning the buildings and street lamps. They are able to clean higher up parts of buildings using magnets on their arms to cling onto the outer walls, since using the boosters on their hover thrusts will cause more trips to a power unit and overheating. It is most likely it was cleaning the billboard when it fell, causing it to fall with it.

"Oh right," It said in a robotic voice, "Thanks a lot. DAMAGE SUSTAINED. Now I can go back to cleaning up after human litter and bird- REPAIR REQUIRED- droppings. Yeah, thanks for putting me back into a life of boredom."

"But I was just trying to-"

"Eat my ass meat dumpster. Good day." It flew off, only to crash into a car and explode, filling part of the street with green flames.

"Ugh," She groaned as she got up, "at least the others are having fun with this mission."

Gonpachi took a break from all the walking to his destination. He looked back to see Akira a few feet away from him. He took deep breathes as he sat on a bench. It was no surprise he lacked the energy he used to have. Ever since he left the service, he stayed in his new house, living off the money he made fighting for his country and lived every day as his last. Countless parties, a new car, and especially the women. He had a line waiting through his house every day since he could only handle six dames at a time. He even had to get a giant bed to hold them all.

But the money disappeared in weeks, as did the women. Without experience and lack of education, he had to settle for a low paying job at a Burger Kong to keep the bills paid. All he could afford to eat was fast food. It was always in his mind, "Tomorrow I will quit and make something of myself again." The fast food turned him into a half ton slob. The giant bed that held bundles of women could barely hold him. He had the intentions of becoming a sumo wrestler, but the call from the emperor came at the same time he applied to sumo. It was a difficult decision; but in the end, serving his emperor was the choice he made.

Gonpachi lifted the wide brim hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Once ready, he got up and continued his short but tiring walk to the other side of the street. Sadly for the bench, it was forever doomed to be bent to no repair.

The lack of vehicles in front of the Tenzai building unsettled Tsuyoshi's stomach. On the news the street was filled with ambulances and fire engines. Now only the destroyed vehicles stayed, left enkindled in ruin by wave force artillery rounds. Ashes from the building continued to fall, carried on by the slight wind. Papers also poured out of the building, fluttering through their descent.

But Tsuyoshi noticed something more unsettling: there were no bodies. The ambulances and streets were filled with workers and safety officials, but now there wasn't even a trace of anyone. Something was off in the business district, and Tsuyoshi did not want to find out what.

"Gonpachi, what's your location now?" Tsuyoshi asked into the headset as he walked into the Tenzai building's front door.

Gonpachi treaded carefully through the bottom floor of a corporate building. It was emptier then he hoped for. "I'm in the lobby." He said, "Something's odd. There seems to be no signs of life anywhere."

"Same thing over here," Tsuyoshi replied, "I'm going to take the stairs to search the rest of the floors."

"Be careful in there," Gonpachi warned, "I don't think the foundation is sturdy enough after the fire."

"Don't worry, that's why I didn't send you in here. The building would have collapsed already if I had."

Gonpachi got in the elevator and headed to the top floor, "Just wait until we get back to base, I have a fist that wants to meet your face."

Some static scratched through the air waves, "I think something's here with me." Tsuyoshi said going up the steps, "The more echoes than usual." He waited for a response, but was answered with static, "Gonpachi? Gonpachi, come in. Aww great, I'm all alone in this building. I should have told Akira to go in here and for me to wait near the getaway zone. I wouldn't of mind if there were babes in distress, but this place is a freaking ghost town."

Tsuyoshi kept his carbine to his shoulder and his finger on the trigger. The footsteps continued. The steps were now louder and heavier. He peered over the railing, down the square spiral of steps. He couldn't see any activity. Only the footsteps allowed him to know that something else was there with him. He made it to the fifth floor when he decided to exit the emergency stairs and entered the main floor.

The fifth floor was mildly affected by the fire. The ceiling above him dropped bits of ash as he surveyed his surroundings. Only the top halves of the walls were burned, giving of slight creaking noise with each of Tsuyoshi's steps. The footsteps had stopped at least, but that still didn't make him ease up. The wind whistled from a broken window, blowing a gust of papers across the hallway he was in, having them gather near an off-line elevator.

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" He ran over to the pile of papers, "All right! Tuba Fornication issue 7! I didn't think this was already out." He opened the book but slammed it shut when he heard a clatter.

From directly above him, a trail of dust escaped from between charred remains of the ceiling, until it caved in. Tsuyoshi dive rolled into a cubicle entrance, firing off three burst from his carbine into the setting dust cloud. From within the smoke and embers, several quick flashes flew towards him. He took cover from behind the cubicle. His right arm wasn't exactly all the way covered, a sharp pain taking over his bicep. He pulled his arm into cover, to see a hira-shuriken wedged into the armor, one of the shuriken's five points piercing into his arm muscle.

In the other building, Gonpachi found what he was hoping for: the employee cafeteria. He headed for the kitchen and opened up the freezer.

"Great googly moogly!" He exclaimed in delight. The freezer was filled with all sorts of meats, cheese, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and other perishables. "Look at all of this food! I'd hate to see this all go to waste, there shouldn't be any harm if I just eat a little bit of it."

He put a chef's hat over his wide brim hat and turned on the grills. Then without effort, he picked up the freezer and dumped all the contents on and around the grills. Once the freezer was empty, he tossed it aside, having it crash into the wall. He couldn't wait for the food to cook, he grabbed the fork and spoon already with him and dug in. Food flew left and right, splattering against the walls. Most of the food was wrapped in either paper or plastic, but it only slowed his chewing in the slightest. He ate so fast he lost his utensils, probably new victims to his bottomless gullet.

While he devoured, a whirling sound could be heard, like water going through pipes. The top floor wasn't nearly as high as the other buildings next to it, but it was still far above the ground. The whirling sound seemed to be outside the cafeteria somewhere, on the other side of the many closed doors around him.

"Gonpachi! I've made contact!" Tsuyoshi's voice exploded through the ear piece, "I'm hit in the arm!"

"Who are they?" Gonpachi asked, spitting food all over the place. "How many are there?"

Tsuyoshi sucked in air with pain, "I couldn't see anything. The floor above me fell and I took whatever cover I could. I think there's 20 of them, a butt load of shurikens flew at me. Speaking of…" He grabbed the shuriken in his arm and attempted to pull it out. He screamed in pain, "Okay," He said out of breath, "I'll just keep it in."

As Gonpachi listened to Tsuyoshi make an ass of himself, a blast of wave force cut through the kitchen, destroying everything in its path.

"Gonpachi? Are you alright?"

"Fried bologna in chocolate frosting!" Gonpachi shouted, and after static.

"Gonpachi? Dammit Guppy, I need your help and you fall asleep on me!"

Tsuyoshi needed to get out of the floor, whoever was attacking him knew his location. The more he moved the harder it will be to find him. He could see a human shaped shadow on the other side of the cubicle, giving him an idea. He took a few steps away from the cubicle wall and ran straight into it. With a leap he slammed into it, having the wall fall on whoever was behind it. But as the wall descended, the one under it managed to launch it into the walkway, foiling Tsuyoshi's plan.

Tsuyoshi fell with the wall falling over him. He struggled to get up, but his right arm couldn't help, making it more difficult. "This guy isn't human." He thought to himself, "Nobody could react that fast to one of my sneak attacks."

As he fought to get the wall off him, he saw the attacker. He wore a fully armored suit in golden reptile-like metal scales with a black robe underneath. A golden dragon face helmet covered his face. Smoke coughed out from a small box strapped to his left forearm, "Pointless signal jammer," The man said, unstrapping it and tossing it aside, "It's even more useless now."

Tsuyoshi tried to aim his carbine with one hand, but the man kicked it into the glass exterior of the skyscraper. The glass shattered; the carbine falling five stories until it landed on the ground.

"You fight with carelessness," The man said as he unsheathed his katana, revealing jagged black blade with a dragon's mouth as the hilt, as if the blade was flame being spewed. "It doesn't matter however, because no one has survived a battle with me: Kaibutsu."

**Will Tsuyoshi get out of this alive? What happened to Gonpachi? Can't Estuko do anything right? How come Akira didn't get any screen time? All of these questions and more will be answered in the next episode of: THE NEO SAMURAI!**


	12. Chapter 11: Octavarium

Stalingrad had some of the best weather in the Soviet Union, but that didn't mean much. Everyone outside and inside tried their best to keep warm in any way they could. The roads had cars going by, but the sidewalks were the main use of travel. Walking was more cost efficient, the gas shortage from destroyed oil fields taking a toll in everyone's pockets. In a few years after reconstruction, it would all be back to normal. But until then, everyone had to cope.

"This is a good day, isn't it sweetie?" A woman said holding tightly to her boyfriend's arm as they strolled down the street.

"Yes indeedy, I am awful hungry though."

"Look over there," the woman said pointing to a brick-made two story building, "There's a joint to grab a bit."

"Well what do you know? I'm glad I dumped your sister for you! Let's see what they got to serve!"

The two entered almost as quickly as the snow fell. A little wind picked up outside, but right as the door closed behind them.

"Hi, I'm Lada." An attractive young girl greeted. She wore the restaurant's bright blue uniform well, having it match her soft blue eyes. Her pretty face was only hindered by the long scar across her nose and part of her right cheek. "I can help you two to a table."

"Why thank you Lada," The man said politely, "That will just be super-duper!"

Lada grabbed two menus and guided them to the dining area to the left side of the building. Centered in the middle was the bar, and to the right led to the bedrooms upstairs. "So which table will you bastards like to sit at?"

The man was confused, "Excuse me?"

"I said where will you guys like to sit?" Lada repeated.

"Oh, umm that empty one near the window over there," the man said pointing to a table across the dining room from them.

The two customers sat down and Lada set the menus next to them, "Okay you're all set, a waiter will be here shortly to take your orders. I hope you two burn in hell!"

The man looked around to see over half of the room filled with people eating and talking amongst themselves. "You know honey, there's something screwy going on around here."

"What do you mean?"

"Hello I'm Yefim!" Their waiter said next to them, "What kind of filth are your two going to order so you can stuff your puss?"

"Uhh, why I'll have the," He read off the names on the menu, "Let's see. Horse turd burger, rotten flesh French fries, infected penis hot dogs? Failed abortion apple pie?" The man slammed the menu shut and stood up, "Say buddy, what kind of place is this? These aren't names you can have in a family restaurant, gosh darn it!"

"Honey, don't get so excited, you'll spoil your appetite." His girlfriend pleaded.

"My appetite is already gone! We're leaving!" The man took the girl's arm and stormed out.

"Bye, good riddance!" Yefim said then headed back to the kitchen. On his way a customer asked him a question.

"Can I have another knife and fork?"

"Suck my dick!" Yefim responded and handed him the utensils from his apron pocket.

"Oh, and can we have some more coffee?"

"I'll make sure to piss in it just for you!"

As he continued to the kitchen, a small commotion started at the bar.

"He's mine!" A girl yelled.

"I saw him first!" The other girl slurred.

"Whoa now," Fadir, the bartender, said getting between the two, "What's this all about?"

"She's trying to steal Yefim from me!"

"No I am, your- you're trying to steal me from Yefim yes you are. He's mine, ever since he bought me those drinks."

"He didn't buy you drinks, he's the waiter you dumb bitch!"

"Ah- don't call me bitch y-you stupid err pig squirter!"

"Okay, this is enough arguing," The bartender said, "There is only one sensible way to settle this: in the mud pit!"

"I'm here with your crap coated fork you sack of dog-" Yefim paused to see everyone gather around the mud wrestling ring in the back of the building. "Hey, what's going on?"

An old man answered using his cane to get to the commotion, "Two dames are getting into a cat fight! Oh, nothing like some good old fashion titty slapping and some ass grabbing to get the blood flowing!"

"Place your bets here everyone, place your bets!" A man said standing on a bar stool, collecting money as patrons handed it out.

"Gleb," Yefim shouted over all the yelling, "What's going on here?"

"Two chicks are fighting over you again."

"Oh no, this is terrible." Yefim said slumping in a barstool.

"You need a drink?" The bar assistant asked Yefim, knowing he usually needs one when this kind of thing happens.

"Of course he does!" Gleb answered for him, "Make it a Russian Water."

"One vodka coming up!" The assistant pulled a bottle from the wall behind him and set it on the counter.

In the middle of the ring, the bartender rolled down the sleeves of his white shirt and put on a black bow tie from his pocket. "All right are you guys ready for a fight?"

The cheers from the large crowd answered his question.

"You two know the rules," He said to the girls, "no eye gouging, no stabbing, no kicking, no punching, no head butts, and no hair pulling." He held up his hands and caught two bed pillows thrown from out of nowhere, "Here are your weapons. Let do this!"

He walked out of the ring and rang the bell. The two girls exploded into a furry of pillow swings. Mud and feathers flew all over the place as they duked it out.

Gleb sighed as he counted the money, "Nothing like a mud pillow fight to start out the Russian morning, eh brother?"

"I don't know why they have to fight for me," Yefim said after finishing the bottle of vodka, "I told them I'm not interested in them."

"Here's the thing Yefim," Gleb said leaning back against the counter, "You never actually say that you don't want them. You just go: Umm uhh no not today, I mean this isn't a good time."

"Well they should know by now that I don't like them."

"Listen, you're not the kind of guy that can decide who he wants to go out with. You're sixteen and you haven't even been on a date yet. I think it's now or never in my opinion."

"I don't know. Those two have been with a lot of guys. They're always taking about all the places they've done it and how tight they are. I'm just not into girls that think sex is just something you do for fun."

"What are you talking about? It's fun as hell!" Gleb shouted.

The crowd near them cheered wildly, "Uh oh, there goes the undergarments!" The announcer next to the ring said in a microphone, "looks like this one's going for round number two!"

"Aww crap, the fights getting intense. This is my time to skedaddle brosky. I'll see you later." He gave Yefim a quick pat on his shoulder and sprinted out of there.

Gleb nearly crashed into Lada on her way to Yefim, just dodging her by a hair. "Whoa," Lada said spinning around to avoid Gleb's side, "He must have done his betting routine again."

Yefim tossed the vodka bottle from one hand to the other when someone called his name from behind, "Yefim!" The manager shouted.

"Yes sir?" He said turning to face him.

"I need someone to take out the trash every night when the restaurant closes. You know where the dumpster is out back, right?"

"Yes sir."

"Good man, I knew I could count on you. But remember, it won't make any difference in your pay check. You don't mind that do you?"

"Umm, no sir. I don't mind."

"Good man. Oh, and keep up the good work with having the girls fighting. People have started using the inn upstairs to stay the night just to see the show!"

At the front of the building, Lada saw Yefim sitting down at the bar. She finger brushed her hair and checked her breathe. _Nice and oniony, just the way he likes it_. She walked up and sat next to Yefim at the bar, "Why the long face buddy?" She said swinging the seat left to right.

Yefim played with the empty bottle in his hands, "It's nothing. Just that our boss is making me take out the trash every night now."

"Why didn't you say no?"

"I-I forgot to. It didn't cross my mind at the time."

"Well it's not that bad. At least you're getting paid for it."

"I wish I was."

"Wow Yefim, you accepted the job knowing you're not getting paid for it. You're something else, you know that?"

"Hey you two," The bar assistant interrupted, "I'll let you guys go on break. This fight isn't going anywhere and neither are the customers."

"But what about-"

"Don't worry, I'll cover for you guys. Now run along."

"Thanks assistant, you're a pal." Lada said grabbing Yefim's arm, "Come on, let's go to the soda fountain!"

"See ya later." Yefim said waving goodbye.

The assistant watched them as they ran off. "One of these days I will make sweet love to the both of you," He mumbled to himself quietly, "Dead or alive."

The cold didn't bother Yefim. Not because Lada held him tightly with her hands under his coat sleeve. He had too much on his mind to worry about the weather. Usually a trip to the soda fountain made him like a child with glee, but today it was different. All it did was delay an unwanted routine of people pushing him around. Ever since he started school, people have been telling him what to do. The side of his eye caught a piece of Lada's facial scar, seeing the indentation across the bridge of her nose.

"What's the matter Yefim?" Lada said rubbing her head on his shoulder, "You're acting like a statue today."

"I guess I'm just tired of this job." He admitted, "Nothing's happened since I started it but just worse grades then before."

"Then just stop going to school. That's what I did and I turned out fine." Lada ensured.

"I got the job to pay for school. If only we had free education like they do in the United States."

Lada laughed, "Oh Yefim you're funny," She said as they walked into the soda fountain entrance, "Everyone knows public school is just a myth."

"Aww, look at the two love birds." The old lady behind the counter said happily, "Wait a minute, aren't you two supposed to be at work right now?"

Yefim and Lada sat at the counter, "We were given a break for being good."

"Oh that's nice, I'm guessing the classic chocolate sundae with two spoons for you two then?"

Yefim chuckled, "I guess you know use better than we do Grandma."

She wasn't his real grandmother, but she didn't act far from one. As she got the sundae prepared, Gleb ran in the building covered with snow and branches. "You guys should have been there." He said laughing, "I was hiding in the bushes, when I saw two cars crash into each other! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen."

He sat down and pulled some branches off his shirt, "Sucks that I forgot my coat though, it's freezing balls out there like usual."

"Hey Gleb," Yefim said, "How much money did you make this time?"

"Only 90 rubles, but on the way here, I nabbed a watch from a cop."

"He didn't notice you?" Lada asked.

"Only when I pulled his pants down."

"Your brother's crazy Yefim." Lada laughed, "I wonder who he hasn't pissed off so far."

Yefim stood up, "Speaking of piss, I got to use the toilet. Be back in a bit."

Lada watched Yefim as he walked over to the bathroom, but noticed Gleb saw her eyeing his brother once Yefim closed the door. "Don't look at me like that."

Gleb chuckled to himself, "Listen Lada, I don't need to be his older brother to know when a girl wants him."

"I don't want him, we're just friends."

"Aww come one, I see you always talking to him all flirty, always clinging onto him when you guys go places. It in your eyes and it's all over your face."

"It doesn't matter anyway. I've asked him countless times and he's given me the same answer he's given all the other sluts. Not today Lada, It's too soon."

"Kind of makes you wonder, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Here's your sundae, enjoy you two!" Grandma interrupted, setting the small glass bowl on the counter with two spoons sunk in.

"Thanks Grandma." Lada said politely.

"It's just that," Gleb continued, "What if you two were together? I mean, would we be in the same situation, or would we be somewhere else by now?"

"How should I know? I can't tell time. I can barely tell time from a watch as it is!"

"Just think of it later. I think of it every time I make a con. Like this watch here." He said holding the watch up to admire it, "What if he was supposed to be late somewhere and if he still had the watch he would of prevented that. But since I got it that ain't going to happen, thus changing history from that point on."

"Like I said before Gleb, you're crazy. And those vandals you hang out with only adds more proof."

Gleb turned when he heard Yefim on his way back to the counter, "Those guys are putting food on my table. I think they deserve some respect if you ask me." He saw a group of men with black suits under there dark coats stop in front of the shop's door, "Speak of the devils." He got up and waved goodbye to the two, "See ya guys. I got a job to do."

"Where's Gleb off to?" Yefim asked sitting back down.

"He's going with his other friends. I don't like them at all." She took a spoon and ate a bit of the sundae, "They're always carrying guns and make the local Conscripts enter shootouts with them."

"Well, that's the Russian mafia for you." Yefim said eating from the other half of the bowl.

"You don't worry about him at all?"

"If he's having fun, I don't see a problem with it."

"Don't see a problem? Now I don't know who's screwier: him or you. I think you should put your feet on the ground and stand up for yourself for a change. At least once in your life would be nice."

Yefim paused for a quick second, "I'll think about it."

By the time they got back the fight was over. The work day was the same as usual. The morning shift ended in the afternoon, the sky already dark by the time they started leaving.

"Hey Yefim," Lada said, "Wanna hang out tonight? Grandpa Fadir is having a party and everyone's invited."

Fadir walked by carrying a huge keg of vodka on his shoulder, "All aboard the awesome train. Whoo Whoo!" Everyone lined up behind him in a long conga line chanting "Party!"

"No, it's okay." Yefim said heading for the inn, "I think I'll just work on some homework tonight."

"Well what about after?" Lada pushed on.

"No, not today, I'll party with you guys some other time. Good night.

"I'm just saying, you're missing out." Lada said while joining the conga line. "See ya later!"

"Hey now, your hands are getting awfully close to my buttocks little lady." Fadir said to the girl behind him on his way out the door, "I'm not complaining, I'm just saying."

Yefim lugged up the stairs to his room. The job gave everyone a free room since the inn isn't used that much. He was the only worker that actually used his room. Lada lived with her parents while everyone else had their own house. He would live with Gleb, but he didn't trust his brother with his personal belongings.

Yefim flicked on the light as soon as he opened the door. He didn't have much in the room, just clothes in the closest and his school supplies. He dropped on the bed and groaned. Is this what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, work and school? What's the use? I work to get an education, but I get an education to get a better job. What do I want in life? He turned over to just think. Think of what he's going to do later in life. How all he's living for is working. Nothing else but making money seemed to matter to anyone. Everything revolved around it.

He wasn't hungry. He just wanted to lay in bed all night and all day. Every morning he had to work, he wanted to stay in bed. Everyday day he went to school, he would rather stay in bed. He wasn't tired or lazy, he just didn't see the use in going to either. He didn't want money for himself, no hopes of becoming rich and famous. All he wanted was to do something interesting. To go somewhere or be a part of something good. He still regrets his young age, it being the reason why he couldn't have joined the war effort years ago. The remainder of the night he thought until he fell asleep.

* * *

The night air in the forest was colder than ever. The Conscript tried to open his eyes, still groggy. All he could remember was patrolling the streets around Stalingrad, and then the next minute nothing. He could see the ground under him, his arms dangling pass his head. Something was tied around his feet, keeping him upside-down in the air. The wind swung him a little, chilling him to the bone. Once his eyes were able to focus, he could see people around him.

They wore dark coats and fedoras with black handkerchiefs tied over their mouths. All he could see were their eyes, the shine reflected off of the full moon in the sky. Some had ADK-45s with drum magazines while others just kept their hands in their coat pockets. One of them approached the Conscript, taking off his handkerchief as he walked.

"The name's Aleksi Bure. What's your's?" His voice was welcoming, but intimidating at the same time. A short stubble covered his face, his black hair combed back. His face was young, around his 20s.

The Conscript didn't say anything; he worried about his wife and kids. If he said his name, they might go after them too.

"What's the matter? We're not going to hurt you. All we wanted was a favor. Is that so much to ask?"

"Hanging me from a tree isn't the best way to ask."

"It's just a precaution. We know how you Conscripts get. By the way, thanks for the gun. Don't worry, I'll take the blame from your higher ups. There's no pressure on you."

"What do you want? Why is the mafia after me, I didn't do anything."

"You insult me Conscript. That really hurt. I would never do anything to someone that doesn't deserve it. Sadly though, being a Conscript is enough to make me mad." Aleksi pushed the Conscript to make him swing, "And when I'm mad at you, you best be ready!" his fist plowed into the Conscript's gut on his way forward.

The soldier coughed, but held in the pain. "Are we done?"

Aleksi laughed, "You're tough, I'll give you that. My boxing career in Poland had high hopes. Count yourself special, maybe I'll give you a cookie after this is over." He crouched down to meet the soldier eye-to-eye. "Now for that favor I wanted, all you have to do is give me a few hints about that secret building everyone's keeping me out of, and I'll let you go, maybe even buy you a beer and we'll laugh about the whole thing."

"We both know what's in there. You really want to know?" The Conscript smiled, "Then good luck getting it from me."

"This country isn't worth your life pal. You're going to tell me, or else we ain't going to the bar later to have a drink together."

"Then ask someone else. I'm not saying anything to scum like you!"

Aleski stood up, "I thought you would be like that. They don't hand out medals like the ones you got there for being a chatter-box."

"What are you going to do?" The Conscript asked, waiting for the end.

"Me? I'm not going to do anything. I'm not a bad guy, I'm your friend. I'm also a friend to others." He jiggled a chain near the Conscript's leg and smacked it against another, the echo ringing across the forest, "You'll see them soon. Let's just say they want to have you for dinner. Good bye comrade and good luck."

Aleski walked away with the other mobsters following close to him. By the time they have left the area, a roar could be heard in the distance. It was the last sound the Conscript would ever hear.

* * *

"I'm telling ya Yefim, there's something in the cave outside of the city." Gleb said at the bar.

"And I'm telling you you're seeing things." Yefim argued as he swept the floor.

"Bye, I hope you puke blood." Lada said as some guest left the diner. Most of the people that were eating stayed the night in hope of seeing another fight. The others just ate until they were full then got a drink at the bar on their way out. Suddenly a girl walked in that caught Yefim's attention.

"Hi, I'm just here to meet someone." The girl said to Lada. She had short strawberry hair that curled at the ends. Her face was enchanted with big hazel eyes that pierced into Yefim's mind. Her full red lips slid back in a gentle smile as she walked towards the front end of the bar oval.

Gleb leaned back in his stool and saw her across the room at the corner of his eye. He was surprised enough to lose his balance, knocking down a few empty bottles surrounding him. "Father Frost!" He turned to Yefim and loudly whispered, "Get a load of the dame in the green dress."

Yefim was stunned by her sight. She sat down at a stool and settled in.

"Well don't just stand there." Gleb pushed him towards her, "Go get her tiger!"

"What are you doing Gleb? I can't talk to her, I don't even know her."

"That's why you introduce yourself. Go ahead, just brag a little about the girls that fight for you and she'll fall right into your arms, see?"

"Having fun you two?" Lada said approaching the two brothers.

"Yeah, we're just having a swell time." Gleb said hailing the bartender's assistant, "Hey part time."

"Yes?"

"Get that girl over there a Red Mountain Mist will ya? The one with the big rack and the fur coat. And say it was from Yefim over here."

"One Vodka, coming up!"

"Gleb, what are you doing?" Yefim loudly whispered.

"I'm getting you a date brosky. Now just sit back and watch the show."

"Who her?" Lada asked, "She isn't so special."

"You're jealous, aren't ya?" Gleb asked chuckling, "Man o' man are girls territorial."

"I'm not jealous, you're just judging her on a whim is all. I've never seen her before, what says she isn't from out of town?"

The assistant set the glass of vodka down and pointed over at Yefim. Gleb aided her focus by pointing at Yefim as well. The girl picked up the glass and gave a polite nod, smiling. Yefim looked down and cleared his throat, quickly sweeping the floor towards the diner area.

"Ha! Ya see?" Lada taunted, "Yefim isn't interested in her. Why don't you go get her Gleb? A man like you should have no problem."

"A man like me doesn't need a woman to hold onto sweetheart." He took a drink a looked at the watch he stole which is now worn on his wrist, "Oh, I better skedaddle. The boys want me to make some dough for them. I'll see ya later Lada." He got up and hurried out, "Tell Yefim I'll be back soon."

"Bye." Lada said giving a short wave farewell. As she returned to her post, a man walked in and passed her without saying anything.

_A black coat_, she thought to herself, _he must be with the mafia._

The man sat down next to the lady in green and put a hand in one of his coat pockets. They started talked softly so no one around them could get in on what they were saying. As he swept, Yefim kept an eye on the two. During the conversation, the girl stood up and was about to leave. The man stopped her before she could reach the door and wrapped a hand around her neck, pinning her to the wall.

Lada stared in shock and looked over to Yefim, her eye's begging for him to intervene.

I think you should put your feet on the ground and stand up for yourself for a change. At least once in your life would be nice.

Her words from the day before echoed in Yefim's mind, ***&^*

"At least once huh? Well how about for someone else?"

"You'll accept the offer and like it little missy," The mobster ordered.

"It's not worth it I tell ya. You're going to have to do a better offer then that!" The girl shouted.

"Let her go." Yefim demanded.

The man turned to see Yefim holding the broom in an offensive stance. "Beat it kid, this doesn't involve you."

Yefim whacked the man in the head, knocking off his fedora, "You're in my building and I'm telling you to get lost pal."

"That's it." The man punched Yefim square in the mouth. He dropped to the ground instantly.

"Oh no you didn't!" Lada shouted getting between the man and Yefim, "You wanna fight him, you're going to have to go through me. And I'll tell ya one thing, I'll not to be underestimated."

"You want a fight little girl? I'll give you a fight." He let go of the girl to reel his arm back for a punch. By the time he did, Lada had her foot flying into his face at full speed, smacking the top of the mobster's head. She followed up with a few good punches to the face until the guy was against the wall, struggling to stay up.

"I'm giving you a last chance buddy. Get out before I brain ya in front of everyone." Lada challenged.

The man read her name tag, "Lada Kupetsky, eh…," He cackled, wiping blood from his mouth, "I'll remember your name for a long time, ya hear? I'll come back for you, and my friends will be happy to teach you a lesson. This isn't over by a long shot!" He exited the door, slamming it shut.

Once the man was gone, Lada ran up to hug Yefim. "Oh, I was afraid for dear life! He could have had a gun on him or a knife. What were you thinking?"

Yefim chuckled, "I wasn't. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing." He tapped the side of his mouth, his lip a little swollen from the blow, "He better not come back here is what I say."

"Don't worry sweetheart, he won't hurt nobody anymore. That girl is probably long gone by now too."

"We can just forget this happened and live on from that." Yefim added.

Lada pulled the hug back, "Oh no we can't. You heard what he said, once he gets his boys ready we're in for it. Don't worry, I'll back you up."

"You don't have to do that Lada." He petted the back of her head, "You've done plenty for me already. Just cover for me so I can get the police here. They will take care of those thugs."

"Okay," She gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Be careful now."

Yefim handed her his apron to wait on customers while he's gone. She tied it up on herself on her way to the kitchen as Yefim noticed something on the bar counter. It was a note with the words "Treasure" scribbled in cursive on the top.

**Outside city, east**

**From the wrecked car on top of rock pile, head north into the forest**

**When the river splits, head east**

**Go under the land bridge and take a right**

**Buried under the tree with five limbs **

**Vocal Password: Electric Activate**

Yefim turned it over but there was nothing written on the back. It seemed to be directions to somewhere, but that was all he could get out of it.

"What ya got there?" Gleb asked as he got a cigar out of his coat from the coat rack.

"I think it's a treasure map, it says so right here."

Gleb let out a sarcastic laugh, "Do you hear yourself?" He found a cigar in his smoke case, put it to his lips, and lit it, "I highly doubt there would be treasure to find here brosky. Nothing here but people and snow, and lots of each."

"I think that was what the fight was all about, those two that just left. What if it's money or jewelry? If we can find this we probably wouldn't have to work another day of our lives!"

"Calm down Yefim," He shouted over his brother, letting out smoke with his words, "Just stop and listen to yourself, see. You expect everything to just fall into your lap and you think the easy way to life is right here in front of you, right? Well stop it. Thinking like that gets people killed and we don't want another person in our lives to go because they were lazy. If you want to go after this- this so called treasure then go ahead and do it. Just don't get me involved, all right?" He put the cigar back in his mouth and sat down on a stool.

"So that's how it's going to be, huh? I point the other way when you're running from the law and when I find something that can give me the edge on life you tell me to back down. Is that right?"

"That's right." Gleb said, as sly as ever.

Yefim nodded, "I see. But you know what, it's fine. It's perfectly fine. Because that's the exact kind of thing I'd expect to hear from a hypocrite that steals for a living. Saying that I shouldn't try to find the easy way out when I'm looking at the guy that does every day."

"Stealing ain't easy brosky, and until you find out what is and what isn't, you're going to continue working a job carrying food and drinks, and you're going to like it, see."

Yefim headed out of the building, grabbing his coat from the rack. He didn't say anything else because there wasn't anything else to say. He wasn't mad at his brother, only disappointed about not being able to get through his thick skull. Gleb was a wall when it came to a belief, something that should have gotten him in more trouble than he's used to. Once Yefim was outside he tucked the note away in his pocket and headed east.

* * *

It was a bit pass an hour after Yefim left when the last bundle of customers hurried out of the diner. Lada gave up insulting them after the giant wave of people nearly carried her out with them.

"What's going on?" The manager asked.

"It's that damn town meeting," The bartender answered, "Everyone is there protesting. The mayor is trying to make this city its own country."

"What? That's no excuse. Lada, get me customers!" He ordered from across the room.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked.

"I don't know, show a little skin, get their attention."

"Maybe it's our building's name." A waiter said.

"That's impossible." The manager defended, "Bull's-eye's Bed and Breakfast Bakery Bistro practically rolls off the tongue!"

"What about the promotion suit we got." Fadir said pointing to a full body bull's eye suit that was tucked away in the corner of the inn.

"That's a wonderful idea barkeep!" The manager said with glee, "And I know just the one to wear it." The manager searched around with his eyes, "Wait a minute. Where's Yefim?"

"He's getting the police." Lada answered, pulling her pant legs up to show some skin.

"I'm guessing the protest is slowing them down too." Yelling and fighting could be heard outside, getting the attention of everyone in the bar. "That can be good. Not good at all."

Lada looked outside to see huge riot breaking out in the streets a block away. Hundreds of citizens fought with small groups of conscripts that opened fire from behind buildings and parked cars. Dozens of people fell from the wave of bullets, the surviving rioters throwing Molotov Cocktails while a few fired Rigitov Double Barreled Shotguns. Some Molotovs landed on cars, setting them aflame. It didn't take long for the flaming cars to explode, sending shrapnel into anyone unlucky enough to be hit. Both sides were sustaining terrible losses, the death toll increasing as seconds went by.

"It doesn't look good out there." Lada said quickly closing the door, "I think we should close for today and hide."

The manager groaned loudly, "Oh no. The day we close will be a sad day for Bull's-eye's Bed and Breakfast Bakery Bar Bistro. This is going to be difficult to get the customers in here but it's a job that must be done." He took the promotion suit and slipped into it.

"You can't be serious with this." Gleb said standing up. "If you go out there you'd be a walking target, see."

The manager put his arm through the suit's holes, now completely inside the man sized bull's-eye. He took the sign with Bull's-eye's Bed and Breakfast Bakery Bar Bistro written on it and opened the door, "This is the best time to get people in here. With that riot, no other establishment is open, leaving all the customers for us! This will make us rich I tell you, rich!" He laughed hysterically on his trip towards the street war.

"Oh, I hope he makes it out okay," Lada said after locking the door.

A short bust of gunfire close by followed by a body dropping made Gleb turn his head in its direction, "Yeah, I'm sure he's fine." He sat back in his stool, "He's handled worse."

"I was talking about Yefim," She said sitting next to Gleb's stool, "Him being out there is making me nervous."

"I know what will take care of that. Barkeep, get her some of that horse tranquilizer stuff."

"One Vodka, coming up!"

"I do hope Yefim's safe," Lada said receiving the bottle, "Where ever he is."

* * *

Far from the city's revolution, Yefim was just passing under the broken up wooden bridge. He remember way back when his brother and him would play Cosmonaut and Aliens around this area. They would always use random sticks as ray guns and empty wasp nest as helmets. It was when Yefim was around twelve when he developed his fear of wasp, considering he forgot to check if the nest was empty once and wound up in the hospital. That was the same day Gleb was mauled by an escaped circus bear on his way to get help for Yefim's wasp attack.

Ahh, good times. Yefim thought peacefully. He looked at the note again, "Okay, it says to take a right." Following the note, he went in that direction, searching for the tree with five limbs. The morning snow was up to his ankles, making the walk tiring. Yefim's eyes searched pass the falling snow to find the tree mentioned in the note.

"A tree with five limbs?" He asked himself, "That's a bit too blunt if you ask me. There are at least five big limbs at the top of a tree in this forest. Doesn't say if it's a fallen tree or a standing one, neither."

Low clanking noises could be heard close by. A short trip forward gave him a disturbing sight. There was a tree standing up with chains hanging off of all the lower limbs. Five skeleton legs were tied from the ankles, the chains snaking around them to keep the separate bones together. The wind swayed the five individual legs, their clanks echoing across the vast woods.

"This is getting a bit too heavy for my taste…" Yefim mumbled. He looked back at the fallen bridge. It wouldn't be difficult to go back. He had plenty of time to go back to town and get the cops. They will be happy to take care of that mobster and everything will be back to normal. Him and Lada will just work at the restaurant and live their lives like normal human beings. But that was the easy way out. Gleb didn't realize that, and Yefim couldn't think of a way to explain it.

He turned back towards the tree. It seemed to odd for something like this to be out here. Chains don't get on trees by accident. If anyone is crazy enough to make a scene like this, they probably wouldn't let someone steal something of their's without a good fight.

"Lada's right." He decided, "I have to stand up for myself." He approached the tree, expecting the worse.

The ground under him was uneven once he was close. Something seemed to be under all of the snow, but he didn't care to wonder. Just get the treasure, and go, he told himself. He couldn't sense where the digging spot was at first. He knew it was under the tree, but there were too many spots to start digging. He circled around it until a small notch on the bark caught his eye. It was the soviet symbol, a hammer and sickle in the form of a cross, "X marks the spot." He chuckled, "This is it! It's right here!"

His hands dug into the snow. He scooped up piles of it to reach the grassy dirt. His hand tapped against something though, getting his attention. He pulled out a long thin bone, with on end jagged and splintered. _Looks like bite marks. This can help get me pass the dirt. _He gripped it with both hands and stabbed into the loose soil. The bone easily plowed through the dirt, but only in a certain area. Yefim used the bone to trace the line separating the loose side from the other. Soon enough he created a long wonky oval before the tree's roots.

It took Yefim a bit over half an hour to get the dirt out of the way. The bone quickly broke by the time he got a few scoops out. He stood up and tossed it aside. There were more bones wrapped up in chains. With a good tug, one of the leg bones broke free, the chains rattling from the force. The rattle echoed across the forest, scaring away birds close by. Lucky for him the mobsters buried it only a foot down. The loose soil was packed down by the snow, but was still easy to get through.

Something in the distance kept his guard up. Every few minutes he could hear a slight rumbling noise. The direction was never steady, one noise would come from one side, and the next came from another. As time went by the noise became a distance growl. Yefim felt rushed, as if he had to leave as fast as possible. With the last few clumps of dirt, the treasure was in plain sight. Through his slight panic, he bashed the bone against metal, snapping it in half.

He threw the bone fragments away and dusted off the metal slat. A large Soviet Union Symbol covered the front of the crate, only leaving the top and bottom bare. Yefim tried to pick it up from the edges, but it was far too heavy. He reached on the sides and found the locks, clicking when he flipped them up. With a bit of effort, he pulled the sheet of steel up and off the crate, pushing it forward to have it out of the way. What he saw in the crate made his jaw drop.

"It's just a suit?"

All that hope. All of the wishes fulfilled, shattered. This couldn't get him his education, or even get him out of his dead end job. That mobster is probably with his friends by now, plotting revenge. Thinking up new ways to make him suffer more. Gleb was right the whole time, this treasure was nothing but a hoax.

Yefim's knees hit the ground. His body seems to be unresponsive. The weight of his old life came crashing down on his shoulders. He didn't want to move. His arms ached from digging, sweat still dripping from his face. It was too much to take at once, the physical and mental fatigue. All he could do is stare at the Soviet suit.

Red fabric hid under different segments of steel parts. He could see large and fully armored boots with thick short hoses coming in and around them. The arms and legs weren't fully armored, but still had small steel plates over the sides for some defense. Thin steel gauntlets were attached to the sleeve, the metal stopping at the elbow to allow movement.

Yefim thought of a opened cocoon when he saw the front of the suit, it being split straight down the middle and supported by the steel attached to the upper chest half. There was a miniature wheel on the right side over the heart. It was similar to the wheel used to lock doors on soviet war ships, a circular block of metal with steel cylinders poking out eight places. Three leather belts were there keep the abdomen fabric close to the wearer. The inside of the suit was a bleak maroon, some kind of leather marital mixed with rubber to isolate the inside.

The helmet was attached to a thin ring of metal that kept it with the entire suit, like a balloon on a sink faucet. The neck wasn't armored, but the head was given a thin layer of metal over the skull. The mouth and nose was covered, three vertical slits allowing air to get through. One horizontal slit went over the eyes, enough space for the wearer to see on the sides but little for up and down.

On the underside of the crate hatch it read: **Tesla Troop Zero Prototype**. The thing must have been from the research facility near town. The mafia was known for stealing Soviet arms, but it would be from deserted battlefields or scattered soldiers. A heist on a government building was something serious, taking months of planning to actually pull off.

A roar broke through his concentration. Within a second, a heavy grizzly bear knocked him down from the side. He landed with the bear on top of him, the weight crushing his body. The bear's claws dug into his skin as it roared, its mouth nearly engulfing his entire head. He didn't move, it didn't matter what he did. Nothing mattered anymore. Getting eaten by a bear seemed like paradise compared to living for nothing. Just wasting his time and everyone else's.

"Hurry up," Yefim shouted back, "get this over with! You have bear stuff to do! Just make it quick!"

The bear lifted a paw high in the air, its arm blotting out the sun. but then, as if time stopped, Yefim's mind traveled through his life. He saw Lada, the news of his death breaking her heart. Yefim couldn't help but feel bad at the thought. Making someone suffer to ease your own pain, it wasn't him. This isn't his path to follow. Death will have to be patient for him.

The bear was about to swipe his face off. The claws were beginning their descent through the air when something saved him. Another bear had intervened, the two animals sliding across the snow from the new bear's tackle. They got up and began to bite one another. The two lunged and dodged, trying to get the other down. From every direction, other bears charged in, surrounding Yefim in a giant bear war. None of them took sides, it was a free-for-all, the prize being a live human meal.

It was either by sheer interest or complete idiocy, but Yefim crawled for the suit. He rolled out of the way as two grizzlies fought standing up, clawing at each other. Their feet nearly trampled Yefim on his way to the crate/ He made it with a few more steps, hoping none of the bears break their fights.

He slipped inside the suit, getting his arms in the sleeves first. After, he adjusted the face cover so his chin fit over the metal grooving. Tucking in his legs to get his feet in the lower half, he got his feet into the boots to be completely inside. His hands now in the gauntlets, he pushed the sides over his chest. The metal clanked together, closing off the suit's only entrance. He attempted to stand up, but the suit was too heavy.

_The code on the note_, he thought, _it must turn the suit on_.

"Electric activate!"

Tiny sharp needles poked into his forearms, bisects, calves, and thighs. A final one jammed into his back near his neck. He groaned in pain as the suit connected with his body. His body's natural electricity flowed through the needles to circulate around the wires. The tesla suit turned on, small bolts zapping around him from the new power source.

"Welcome sweet cheeks." The suit said in his head with a robotic female voice.

Yefim was able to get up now, the feeling of the needles wedged between his muscles as he moved. With one hand he spun the wheel on his chest to fully close the suit off. No more running away, no more hiding. Yefim was tired of Lada protecting him all the time, always having her to defend him from trouble. It was time to fight back.

The bears heard the noise coming from the suit's metal scrapping together. Their meal was right there in front of them. One of them charged towards him. As it lunged to attack, Yefim's armored fist shot into the side of its face. The bear flew to the side, smashing into a tree. He smiled with glee from the power he now controls, ready for all of them to take him on.

Yefim sprinted forward, the suit giving him extra speed. He kicked an attacking bear straight in the lower jaw, the poor creature flipping over to land unconscious. One of the bears managed to bite onto him arm, its long sharp teeth scratching into the metal plate. Yefim flung his arm overhead, taking the bear with it. A bear came in from behind, countered by Yefim's leg kicking backwards into its chest.

He was having too much fun with this, taking out the bears one by one with ease. "Your Tesla Rifle will make it easier hot stuff." The suit told him, "Oder command: Tesla Rifle."

_Sounds like a good idea_, he thought. "Tesla Rifle!"

The back of the suit whirled and jutted out to reveal a tube-like weapon with a white see-through bulb at the tip. A half of the back armor swung to the right and extended, holding the weapon out for the wearer to slip into it. As it did, the coil spun out from inside of the tube like a corkscrew, making the gun look like a personal Tesla Coil.

Yefim jammed his right arm into the Tesla Rifle and unsheathed it, the coil powering up from his hand. Inside the tube was a small handle with a button for the thumb to press on, the trigger for the weapon. The back armor resided once the weapon was taken, returning to its former stat. He aimed the Tesla Rifle in the direction of the bears while supporting his forearm with the other hand. Without thinking, he pressed the trigger. Lightning zapped all over the place, knocking down trees and blowing snow into the air. The bears quickly scurried away as the bolts flew in every which way, running for dear life.

When Yefim was done firing, all he saw was sizzling tree stumps and small craters in the ground. "I should probably aim next time." He said to himself.

_No wonder those mobsters wanted this suit_. he thought, _If they used this against the Army, they would be unstoppable. I can't let that happen. This thing must not get in their hands again. The woman that left the note entered his mind. Who was she? Why did she have something like this buried under the ground? If only I could see her again._

Yefim walked to the direction of the city. The part of the forest he was in had a large ledge to where the bridge can take you. With the bridge out, he had to climb up the side. It was no problem since the gauntlets were able to dig into the rock with ease. When he made it to the top he could see the city.

It was a beautiful sight in his mind. The roads heading out into the country on the outskirt. The buildings, old and new mixed together to make the city itself. Puffs of smoke coughed out of the Super Reactor that gave the city its wonderful life. Everything in Stalingrad mattered to him, but he didn't want to stay. There was a whole world out there just waiting for him. He couldn't just be kept in the walls of the peaceful city. The thought made Yefim sighed, partly from the view but mostly from disappointment.

It took seconds for his state of mind to change. In the far side of the city, he could see a fire explosion erupt. Smoke trailed into the sky as gunfire echoed from the distance. Something was wrong and now that Yefim had power, he was able to do something about it.

"Quick, barricade the door!" Fadir ordered, grabbing a table, "Hopefully we can wait this out."

"Don't be scared dollface," Gleb said to Lada, still sitting on his stool, "I'm here to protect you."

She turned to him, her face unevened, "I'm not afraid of anything. It's just Yefim's out there and it's my fault."

"Don't think like that dollface. Sure you can put the blame on yourself, but what good is that gonna do? He could of just let those two take care of everything by themselves. The only thing you gotta worry about is that girl taking your man from you. Next thing you know it's going to be you and her here in the mud pit."

"She can have him," Lada said waving a hand, "I just want him to be safe is all."

While the other workers scavenged to find heavy objects for the barricade, a few quick knocks came from the door.

"Who is it?" Fadir asked.

"The local military." A calm voice from the other side answered. "Let us in."

"Uhh, nobodies in here. Come again later!"

"Okay, sorry to- Hey! Open this door, or we will be forced to open it ourselves."

"Go ahead and try!" Fadir laughed.

The Conscript opened towards the outside, the table and chairs falling down to the floor. The group of soldiers pulled the objects out of the way and entered with ease.

"Aww Crap," Fadir whispered to himself, "I should have locked the door first."

"As ordered by the new King of Stalingrad, everyone here must obey his command or be killed."

"King of Stalingrad? What is this nonsense?" The bar assistant asked.

The Conscript leader pulled up his pistol and shot him.

"Aww, I'm so glad he said it first." Lada whispered to Fadir.

"Stalingrad is its own country as of today." The leader said waving the gun around, "Anyone who objects is to be executed."

"We're not going to follow some stupid law that the Mayor has just created. If he thinks we're going to become our own country, he's crazy. Right guys?" Fadir objected.

The other workers agreed, Lada adding in, "It's super silly!"

"Very well then, let them have it boys." The soldiers put their assault rifles up to aim. Up on the roof above them, a loud banging noise could be herd. The soldiers stopped and lowered their weapons in confusion.

"Who's upstairs?" The squad leader ordered.

"No one, we're all down here." Fadir answered. Suddenly, the roof above caved in, plaster and wood covering everyone. A large hole was broke through pass the second floor and the top roof. Between the soldiers and the restaurant workers, a man in a large metal suit laid face down on the floor. He got up and looked at the hole in the ceiling, grunting in anger.

"What is this, some kind of game?" The squad leader asked.

"No game," The man in the suit said, his voice muffled from the metal helmet. He held out one arm covered with a tesla coil, "Get out of Bull's-eye's Bed and Breakfast Bakery Bar Bistro, if you know what's good for you!"

He shot off a bolt, the electricity hitting the squad leader. The soldier turned into a black skeleton, quickly disintegrating into a pile of ash. The other soldiers starred in shock as the man in the suit quickly withdrew the Tesla Rifle. "Oh, uhh I didn't mean to hit anyone. I just wanted it to be a warning shot. Haha, my bad!"

"This is suicide!" One of the soldiers yelled in a panic, "Let's get out of here!"

The group of Conscripts headed out the door, running for their lives. They got bunched up at the exit, pushing each other out of the way to escape. "That's right, flee!" The man in the suit shouted over the restaurant workers cheering him, "And don't let me see you around this place again!"

Once the Conscripts got out of the building, automatic gunfire came from the left side. The soldiers filled with bullet holes from hundreds of rounds flying by. By the time they fell, a small group of mobsters entered. Aleski Bure was in front of the group with his hands in his coat pockets.

"Now what could make a Russian soldier run like a French woman?" He asked as he entered. The sight of the metal suit stopped him in his tracks. "Wait a minute, that's our suit!"

"Uhh, no it's not?" Yefim put the Tesla Rifle away.

"Shoot him, he can't escape with it!" Aleski shouted. The mobsters shot their ADK-45s from the hip as he sprinted to the stairs. The workers ducked for cover as bullets blew up bottles around the bar oval and ripped into the walls. Gleb was in the middle of drinking a bottle as a bullet went through it, glass exploding around his hand.

"Hey, I was drinking that!" He yelled to the shooters.

Yefim's boots splintered the wooden steps on his way up the stairs. He crashed through a small window at the halfway point of the staircase, taking off a bit of the wall with him.

"Go follow him," Aleski ordered two mobsters, "If he gets away we'll be toast."

The two mobsters ran out the door and closed it behind them. As the other workers got ready to get started, Fadir ran to the door and locked it. "Ha ha! I locked it this time!"

* * *

In the alleyway outside, Yefim had landed face first in the snow. His body was suck in the air, his legs hanging over his head. "This suit's a lot heavier then I thought." He grumbled to himself. Taking his head out of the snow, he could hear the two mobsters getting outside.

"I think he's this way."

"No, he's this way."

I don't have much time, Yefim thought as they argued, I should get out now while they're distracted.

He ran to the back entrance of the place, passing the dumpsters on his way. There was nowhere for Yefim to go in the city. His only home is surrounded with mobsters. Rebels are skirmishing with the Army for control. He was forced to leave town to hide. It wasn't far, but taking the back routes made it a bit longer. The suit made running easier, giving him more energy then he's used to.

* * *

Aleski handed out guns to the workers, getting them ready to defend themselves when the time is ready. When he offered a revolver to Lada, he was met with a stiff glare.

"I don't use guns." Lada said coldly, keeping her leer.

"Is that so? Then make yourself useful and get in the kicthen!" Aleski let out a hysterical high pitched laugh. The other mobsters joined in on the laughter.

Lada's face didn't move.

"What's the matter? I was only joking. All I want you to do then is smile. Come on, let us see that beautiful smile you're famous for. Like this." He crossed his eyes and stuck out his front teeth to give off a goofy grin.

Lada's face stayed still. "You didn't have to shoot at him. He was just trying to help us. I felt a lot safer with him around then with the lot of you."

"Here's the thing little girl." He said getting closer, "You don't tell me what to do. I tell you what to do and you follow it like the little red commie you are and do it with a smile." He leaned back and flicked the name tag on her shirt, taking out part of it from under the apron, "That's a nice name by the way, easy to remember. My brother came in earlier today and mention one like that. He said you and him really hit it off well."

Lada saw the mobsters behind Aleksi get their rifles ready.

"Now how about that smile?"

Lada struggled, but a small smile formed on her face bit by bit. She managed to keep it in place for a while.

"There we go! That's the Russian spirit we all know and love!" He gave her a little nudge on the chin with his knuckle and walked away. Once he turned around, a low growl escaped from behind Lada's bared teeth.

He looked back at the workers, "As for all of you, I hope you don't mind me taking care of the lot-a-ya. I'll make sure those pesky Reds don't get even a block between us. Now, this building's not gonna fortify itself, now will it?"

It was still cold and windy In the forest. The suit made the weather bearable, but not preferred. All of a sudden, as he was in the thick of the trees, the ground caved in from under him. Snow and dirt followed him down into a small set of concrete stairs leading down to a make-shift door. Under him was the splintered remains of the sheet of wood that covered this hidden entrance.

"I'm like a turtle in this suit!" He grunted, struggling to get on his stomach. Once he did, he pulled the door open towards him. Bits of dirt fell in front of the entrance, plant roots shaking from being unsettled. When he walked in, he saw a beautiful sight.

It was an underground weapon bunker, left behind from the war. After the surprise attack on New Year's by the Japanese, every Russian city was military controlled. It's only been a few days since they got rid of the wall surrounding Stalingrad, but the civil war kept the soldiers in patrol. And now they're after the civilians.

The bunker was dark but from the light outside he could see enough. Weapons crates and ammo boxes filled all four corners of the room. There was a lamp with an kerosene can near the door. Yefim grabbed a match from a match box sitting on the small bench in the bunker. Filling the lamp with kerosene, he lit it, giving the back of the room more light. He could see a small tunnel in the back of the bunker, leading to another.

He set the lamp on the bench and closed the door behind him. Sitting down with his feet resting on an ammo box, he began to think about his new name. Yefim was the old him, the one that couldn't fight. The one that needed others to take care of him. Now he was powerful, able to take on anyone. He was a mobile lightening storm, able to destroy everything in his path.

He was: Flash Thunder.


	13. Important Message!

Herro reader! Chrispumah here, not with an actual chapter but just with a message. I just got a review in this morning at 3:30a.m.(that was the time I got it over here in California, USA) and I just wanted to talk about it with everyone who reads this. I would tell the person (or robot, you never know) in a PM but that's the thing, it won't let me. I can't even look at the username's profile. I seriously think it was a troll, but let's go over it anyway.

So the review started with saying that this story is insane and in some parts, crazy. Yes, that was intended. I wanted this entire HUMOR fanfic to make the reader say to themselves, "What the hell am I reading?" because it is actually funny when you read something like that. Kind of like when you watch a B movie or pretty much everything on the SYFY channel. I liked it when someone noticed the fic was insane, because it shows that some of my intentions didn't go unnoticed.

The second part got to me though. The person (or troll, you never know) said they wouldn't say it bares any likeness to RA so far though. The first chapters were somewhat believable, however now the plot is just out of control and stupid.

Ummm…really? They REALLY said that? Yeah, cause a fic set in the RA universe and using RA units as characters and taking place right after an RA war is nothing even close to having anything to do with RA. In the sense of style, it is dead on with RA if you ask me! RA has B movie events, with cheesy dialogue, and over the top action. So what does my fic have? Let's see: B movie events, cheesy dialogue, and over the top action. Oh yeah! Those two are nothing alike! Sorry, I thought I had them close enough to get by! Dude, did you even play RA? The second game had psychics running around and giant squids attacking ships, and Yuri even sets up a moon base in the 1960s. The third game had the American president as A FREAKING ANDROID who is bet on world domination with a death ray hidden under Mount Rushmore and then the Soviet Primer tries to go to space in a rocket ship, where he has NOWHERE TO GO TO. So sorry, I forgot that the RA series was dead serious and my HUMOR fic is just way out of line.

Seriously?

This reviewer made me piss with the last part how the first chapters were believable and now it's stupid. Ummm, really? When the Beatles (an anti war music band) are shown here as war veterans with John Lennon (one of the worlds biggest hippies) as a tank commander…that was believable. When a teenage Japanese girl escapes from a summer camp and is shot at by mecha tengus and gets way ON HORSE BACK…that was believable. When a fresh Soviet Conscript escapes from a gulag being attacked by Loyalist of their former Primer and with a gulag prisoner he ends up demolishing a tank column to get into Stalingrad, where THE FREAKING MAYOR IS KILLING EVERYONE TO DECLARE HIMSELF KING OF STALINGRAD… that was believable. Even when Tanya suffers from a drawback when she uses the time belt that causes her crap to smell bad enough to clear out a dance club… that was believable.

So what made it unbelievable? I'm guessing it's when a Russian teenager, who doesn't like sluts, stumbles upon a Prototype Tesla Suit and uses it to protect the citizens. Is that where I crossed the line for you? Did you seriously think that out Mr. Reviewertrollrobot? Or was it the mobster thing, cause that defiantly has to be what made it "not RA". I don't have to follow the RA style in my HUMOR fic word by word. I just thought that if C&C Renegade had mercenaries, I can have mobsters.

If they just sat down and thought to themselves, "hey I am reading a HUMOR fic here" then they should know that it's okay for the story to be wacky and silly, because that's what makes it funny. I can't stress this enough, it's a humor fic. No one should take it serious and it's just here for sheer entertainment. I don't think anyone feels bored when they read it, because it's entertaining to see what crazy thing I'm going to add in next. I even hated the beginning of the fic for being to lax. Yeah, I'm going to switch around some things and add a few chapters and then combine some to make them longer, but don't worry, whatever we are at now in terms of story will not be changed.

But what got to me was that if they thought chapter 12 was the breaking point and made the story silly, then I am hurt. That was the chapter that I seriously put in my own feelings and mind set into the main character, Yefim. Call him a Marry Sue, but yeah I based him off of me. He's a guy that is stuck in this dead end job and just wants to live something out of the norm, but since he does it ends up changing everyone's lives. The chapter's title, Octavarium, means to live a life that is out of the ordinary. It's a word that was made up by the band Dream Theater in a half hour long song where a guy doesn't want a normal life and later ends up going into catatonic sleep (A coma induced by a mental disorder, most of the time it's schizophrenia).

That is how I feel in real life, I have a dead end job where I waste almost all of my week doing freaking nothing. It's a huge waste of time and what I really want is to become a video game designer to fix the failure known as modern gaming. It's the feeling of having the power to fix something or to save someone, but everyone else in the world stops you from doing it. Everyone tells me I can't become one, everyone tells me that I should just stick to what I have now and work up from that. To make just enough money to get by and live out the rest of my life working and going home to relax.

That isn't the life I want an I don't think anyone wants that at all. I can create characters and stories and I have more than enough imagination to entertain anyone. The most I can do right now is become an author, and that is exactly what I am going to do. Whatever it takes to get to my dream is no cost. The feeling of having someone experience the story and say that they learned a lot from it is just unexplainable. Just hoping that people will learn from my characters and think differently from their journey. Just wishing that people can believe in magic again…

All of these deep feeling were put in ch. 12 and when the reviewer said it was stupid, I was just simply pissed. To insult my dreams and wishes is to insult humanity. I'm not the only one that wishes for more in life, and I shouldn't be. So thank you ya dick, thank you so much for making yourself sound stupid.

I just have to say, if anyone agrees with this person's review: Stop reading. Don't read anything I write, and do use all a favor and kill yourself. The world needs dumbass for there to be smart people but not like this. Not someone who will read a FREAKING HUMOR FIC on fan fiction and say that it's stupid. A perfect example for people that might think like this is my brother. He doesn't like fantasy or magic. He just likes down to earth war and riots and medieval sword fights that have nothing to do with Sci-fi or Fantasy. Stuff like Rambo and Blood Diamond. His type of Humor is poop jokes and Jim Cary/ Mike Myers (Austin Powers) kind of stuff. He wouldn't like this fic in a million years because it is too silly and cheesy. But guess what? He doesn't like RA3 because of the same reason, plus he thinks Japanese stuff is gay. And I don't blame him. Everyone has their own idea to what they like and don't like. I'm not going to tell everyone to like this fic or else. It's knowing that this is a RA3 fanfic, reading all the way to ch. 12, and then saying that it is getting stupid. It's like reading a Power Ranger fic and saying it's stupid because they fight monsters instead of Al-Qaeda. If you want realism, don't read a Red Alert HUMOR fic.

It's people like that that get to me. Because everyone just let's them say whatever they want and don't even question how stupid they sound. Half of the entertainment business is made up of those kind of people, which makes me even more mad. It's these narrow minded fools that make it so movies suck and that make Call of Duty a high ranking game. Call of Duty sucks balls! No imagination what-so-ever. Games like Red Alert give me hope that games are still good, but EA is ruining the franchise. The RA3 was unfinished in my mind. All because people have to focus on graphics because stupid chum gobblers like that review want thinks to be all about the unimportant things.

I don't want this to be a rant about the gaming and movie industry though, I just want this to be about the reader themselves. How when you read, you are looking at another persons ideas and mind. I believe every story is good, it just takes a good writer to make it work. And good writing isn't about being able to spell correctly or to make the events as big as possible. It's about getting the reader involved mentally in the story and wanting to see the end. For them to see the story hidden in the words and try to decipher it the best they can. Some stories have a underground meaning while others don't. this story has an underground meaning. Most of my stories do( The ones that I'm coming out with by the end of March). I won't let some stupid review make me stop writing, but it did make me want to point a lot of stuff out.

I believe everyone should do their best to find a goal and pursue it. Even to make it an impossible one to make it a real life time goal. It can be anything. Just don't make a goal to be a dick and say that a humor fic is getting to stupid. Yeah, cause I thought that Naked Gun was what really goes on in the police force.

If the person thinks that the fic is getting too silly and crazy, then they better watch out. Cause it's about to get crazier…


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